Gaming system and method which provides players an opportunity to win a progressive award

ABSTRACT

A gaming system is provided that includes a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines. The gaming system includes a progressive award adapted to be provided to a designated winning player of the gaming machines in the gaming system. In one embodiment, the gaming system designates the winning player when the progressive award reaches a player threshold value. In such an embodiment, the gaming system provides the progressive award to the designated winning player when the progressive award reaches an award threshold value. In one embodiment, each player who contributes to the progressive award is eligible to win that progressive award, even if that player is not playing one of the gaming machines in the gaming system. The gaming system provides the progressive award to the designated winning player or causes a notification of being provided the progressive award to the winning player. Accordingly, the gaming system stores the progressive award until one of the players of one of the gaming machines is designated.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains or maycontain material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyrightowner has no objection to the photocopy reproduction by anyone of thepatent document or the patent disclosure in exactly the form it appearsin the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwisereserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND

Gaming machines which provide players awards in primary or base gamesare well known. Gaming machines generally require the player to place ormake a wager to activate the primary or base game. In many of thesegaming machines, the award is based on the player obtaining a winningsymbol or symbol combination and on the amount of the wager (e.g., thehigher the wager, the higher the award). Symbols or symbol combinationswhich are less likely to occur usually provide higher awards.

In such known gaming machines, the amount of the wager made on the basegame by the player may vary. For instance, the gaming machine may enablethe player to wager a minimum number of credits, such as one credit(e.g., one penny, nickel, dime, quarter or dollar) up to a maximumnumber of credits, such as five credits. This wager may be made by theplayer a single time or multiple times in a single play of the primarygame. For instance, a slot game may have one or more paylines and theslot game may enable the player to make a wager on each payline in asingle play of the primary game. Thus, it is known that a gamingmachine, such as a slot game, may enable players to make wagers ofsubstantially different amounts on each play of the primary or base gameranging, for example, from 1 credit up to 125 credits (e.g., 5 creditson each of 25 separate paylines). This is also true for other wageringgames, such as video draw poker, where players can wager one or morecredits on each hand and where multiple hands can be playedsimultaneously. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that differentplayers play at substantially different wagering amounts or levels andat substantially different rates of play.

Secondary or bonus games are also known in gaming machines. Thesecondary or bonus games usually provide an additional award to theplayer. Secondary or bonus games usually do not require an additionalwager by the player to be activated. Secondary or bonus games aregenerally activated or triggered upon an occurrence of a designatedtriggering symbol or triggering symbol combination in the primary orbase game. For instance, a bonus symbol occurring on the payline on thethird reel of a three reel slot machine may trigger the secondary bonusgame. Part of the enjoyment and excitement of playing certain gamingmachines is the occurrence or triggering of the secondary or bonus game(even before the player knows how much the bonus award will be). Inother words, obtaining a bonus event and a bonus award in the bonusevent is part of the enjoyment and excitement for players.

Player tracking systems are also known. Player tracking systems enablegaming establishments to recognize the value of customer loyalty throughidentifying frequent customers and rewarding them for their patronage.The cumulative history of a particular player's gaming activity, whichis included in a player profile, enables gaming establishments to targetindividual players with direct marketing promotions or customizedcompensation plans. In existing player tracking systems, a player isissued a player identification card which has an encoded playeridentification number that uniquely identifies the player. Playertracking on gaming devices such as slot machines, is typicallyaccomplished with a card reader mounted to the gaming device. When theplayer first sits down at a gaming device, the player inserts the cardinto the card reader. The card reader reads the player identificationnumber off the player tracking card and communicates information througha network to a central computer regarding the player's subsequent gamingactivity. Based on this communicated information or data, the gamingestablishment classifies each player and provides one or more of suchplayers certain benefits based on these classifications.

One known player tracking system provides an award provided to adesignated player if that player's player tracking card is inserted intoa gaming device. The award is provided at a randomly determined timeand/or a randomly determined amount. The designated player is randomlychosen from all of the carded players (i.e., those players who haveinserted their player tracking cards into a gaming device). Althoughrewarding carded players encourages participation in such a playertracking system, this also may discourage certain players because aplayer becomes ineligible for the benefit once the player removes theirplayer tracking card from the gaming machine.

Progressive awards associated with gaming machines are also known. Inone form, a progressive award is an award amount which includes aninitial amount funded by a casino and an additional amount fundedthrough a portion of each wager made on the progressive gaming machine.For example, 0.1% of each wager placed on the primary game of the gamingmachine associated with the progressive award may be allocated to theprogressive award or progressive award fund or pool. The progressiveaward grows in value as more players play the gaming machines and moreportions of these players' wagers are allocated to the progressiveaward. When a player obtains a winning symbol or symbol combinationassociated with the progressive award, the accumulated progressive awardis provided to the player. After the progressive award is provided tothe player, the amount of the next progressive award is reset to theinitial value and a portion of each subsequent wager on a gaming machineassociated with a progressive award is allocated to the next progressiveaward.

A progressive award may be associated with or otherwise dedicated to asingle or stand-alone gaming machine. Alternatively, a progressive awardmay be associated with or otherwise dedicated to multiple gamingmachines which each contribute a portion of wagers placed at such gamingmachine(s) to the progressive award. The multiple gaming machines may bein the same bank of gaming machines, in the same casino or gamingestablishment (usually through a local area network (“LAN”)) or in twoor more different casinos or gaming establishments (usually through awide area network (“WAN”)). Such progressive awards are played for byone or more gaming devices in the same gaming establishment sometimescalled local area progressives (“LAP”) and such progressive awardsplayed for by a plurality of gaming devices at a plurality of differentgaming establishments are sometimes called wide area progressives(“WAP”).

U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,608 B1 entitled “Progressive Wagering System”discloses a linked progressive wagering system specifying a boundarycriteria, such as a maximum value or an expiration date and time, for aprogressive award prize. If a gaming device has not randomly generated aprize award event when the specified boundary criteria is met, aprogressive award prize is forced by the system upon one or morerandomly selected participating players.

While such progressive awards are popular amongst players, a number ofissues exist with these known progressive award systems. First, onlyplayers currently playing gaming devices in the progressive award gamingsystem are eligible to win the progressive award. Typically, in suchsystems, the player who places the wager that caused the system to meetthe specified criteria (such as time or amount of coin-in) is awardedthe progressive award. Thus, if a player stops playing for theprogressive award, the player sacrifices their opportunity to win theprogressive award and the progressive award may be provided to anotherplayer. This may discourage certain players from playing a gaming deviceif they have a limited amount of time to play.

Additionally, if a player wagers large amounts for a long period of timeat a gaming device in a progressive award system, that playercontributes to or funds a relatively large portion of the progressiveaward pool. Certain players may be hesitant to wager such large amountsfor a long period of time when those players lose their chance to winthe progressive award upon walking away from the gaming device. That is,certain players may be reluctant to contribute or invest large amountsof wagers and time try to win a progressive award that the players haveno chance of winning if the players leave the gaming device.

In one instance, certain players leave the gaming devices afterrealizing that the progressive award has been provided to anotherplayer. Such players may walk away from the gaming devices feelingdiscouraged. Such discouragement can lead to certain players walkingaway with jackpot fatigue. By walking away, even if the player has spentlong periods of time playing for the progressive award, the playersacrifices or forfeits any opportunity to win the progressive award.This may lead to certain players feeling pessimistic about their chancesto win the progressive award.

Other players may believe that a significant amount of time and moneyare required to win the progressive award. This may discourage certainplayers from playing a gaming device, especially if those players have alimited amount of money to play with or a limited amount of time toplay.

There is a continuing need to provide new and different gaming machinesand gaming systems as well as new and different ways to provide awardsto players including progressive or other bonus awards.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure enables a plurality of players to play for one ormore progressive awards, such as accumulated value progressive awards,at gaming machines or gaming devices of a gaming system. In oneembodiment, the gaming system enables any player who contributed to anaccrual of a designated progressive award to win that progressive awardregardless of when those contributions were made. That is, any playerwho contributed to the accumulated value progressive award is eligibleto win that progressive award regardless of whether that player isplaying at one of the gaming machines in the gaming system. In anotherembodiment, the gaming system enables any player who contributed to anaccrual of a designated progressive award during a designated timeperiod to win that progressive award. It should be appreciated that theplayers may include players who are currently playing at one of thegaming machines in the gaming system or players who have played at oneof the gaming machines in the gaming system during a designated timeperiod.

In one embodiment, the gaming system has at least two independent andseparate triggering events for each progressive award. Upon theoccurrence of a first triggering event, such as a player triggeringevent, the gaming system designates a winning player for the progressiveaward. That is, the gaming system selects one of the players who hasplayed one of the gaming devices in the gaming system and contributed tothe progressive award. Upon the occurrence of a second, subsequentlyoccurring triggering event, such as an award triggering event, thegaming system determines the value of the progressive award to beprovided to the designated player. That is, independent of which playeris designated as the winning player, the system determines the value ofthe progressive award to be provided to the designated player. Thus, thegaming system independently and separately determines which player willwin a progressive award (i.e., selected as a winning player) and whenthat progressive award will be provided to the winning player (i.e., theamount of the progressive award). Such a configuration enables playerswho leave the gaming machine and/or the gaming system to remain eligibleto win the progressive award. This configuration also enables playerscurrently playing and players not currently playing one of the gamingdevices in the gaming system to be eligible to win the progressiveaward, provided that these players have contributed to the progressiveaward, such as during a designated time period. For example, if a playerleaves a gaming device in the progressive gaming system without havingwon a progressive award, the player may not be aware that they wereselected as the winning player. Such players may be selected whileplaying one of the gaming devices of the gaming system and sentnotification of the amount of the progressive award won subsequent toleaving the gaming device.

In a first embodiment, the progressive award is an accumulated valueprogressive award or N^(th) coin progressive award provided to thedesignated winning player based on the occurrence of the playertriggering event and the award triggering event. In one such embodiment,the player triggering event occurs when the accumulated valueprogressive award increments to a first progressive hit value or playerthreshold value. Upon the occurrence of the player triggering event, thecentral controller selects a currently playing player who contributed tothe accumulated value progressive award and designates that player asthe winning player. In this embodiment, the award triggering eventoccurs subsequent to the player triggering event. The award triggeringevent occurs when the accumulated value progressive award increments toa second progressive hit value or award threshold value. Upon theoccurrence of the award triggering event, the amount of the designatedprogressive award is determined and the designated progressive award isprovided to the designated winning player. The gaming system utilizes adesignated coin-in value to select when the accumulated progressiveaward will increment to the player threshold value and the awardthreshold value. Such a coin-in value is determined by using the wagervalue and the percentage of each wager applied to the accumulated valueprogressive award. For example, the player threshold may be set at the500,000^(th) coin and the award threshold may be set at the1,000,000^(th) coin. In this example, the designated progressive awardaccumulates based on a predetermined percentage (such as 1%) of coin-inor wagered amounts. For a contribution rate of 1%, one penny or $0.01will be contributed to the progressive award for each $1.00 wagered.Based on a contribution rate of 1%, wherein a winning player is thusdesignated when the progressive award reaches $5,000 (e.g., if each coinis one dollar and the designated progressive award starts at a defaultvalue equal to $0). Accordingly, the accumulated progressive award isthus provided to a winning player when the progressive award reaches$10,000 (e.g., if each coin is one dollar and the designated progressiveaward starts at a default value equal to $0). In other alternativeembodiments, the designated coin-in value is randomly determined,predetermined or otherwise determined in another suitable manner. Itshould be appreciated that the progressive award may start at anysuitable start up value, which may be funded by a portion of coin-in orby one or more departments of the gaming establishment.

In a second embodiment, the award triggering event occurs prior to theplayer triggering event. In such an embodiment, the accumulated valueprogressive award is stored or escrowed when the award triggering eventoccurs. Upon the occurrence of the player triggering event, a winningplayer is designated and the stored or escrowed progressive award isprovided to the designated winning player. That is, if the accumulatedvalue progressive award reaches the award threshold value prior toreaching the player threshold value, the progressive award is stored orescrowed. Accordingly, when the gaming system designates a winningplayer, the winning player is provided with the stored progressiveaward.

In one embodiment, as players play for a designated progressive award, aportion of each player's wager contributes to an accumulated value ofthe designated progressive award. In one embodiment, each player whocontributed to the designated progressive award is eligible to win thatdesignated progressive award, even if that player is no longer playingfor that designated progressive award or playing at a gaming machine inthe gaming system. In one embodiment, the gaming system stores thecontributions from players who are not currently playing (or anyeligible players). In this embodiment, when a winning player isselected, the gaming system selects the winning player from a groupincluding all of the players who contributed to the progressive award.In one embodiment, the eligibility of each player for the designatedprogressive award is tracked by a suitable player tracking system, suchas in conjunction with a player tracking card system or in anothersuitable manner. In one embodiment, each eligible player gainseligibility into one, a plurality or each progressive award level of amulti-level progressive (“MLP”) configuration.

In one embodiment, the gaming system independently and separatelydetermines when a progressive award will be hit and stores or escrowsthe hit progressive award until a winning player is determined. When thegaming system designates a winning player, the winning player isprovided with the stored progressive award. This enables players whocontribute to one, more or each progressive award to be eligible for oneof those progressive awards.

In one embodiment, the gaming system independently and separatelydetermines when a winning player will be selected and stores or escrowsthe winning player until a progressive award is hit. When the gamingsystem determines that the progressive award is hit, the gaming systemprovides the hit progressive award to the stored winning player. Thisenables players who contribute to one, more or each progressive awardwhile currently playing at one of the gaming devices in the gamingsystem and to be eligible for one of those progressive awards (e.g.,regardless of whether the player is playing or has stopped playing atone of the gaming machines in the gaming system).

In one embodiment, the gaming system disclosed herein causes a suitablenotification to be sent to the players of the gaming devices. Thisnotification informs the players which player was selected as thewinning player and/or the amount of the progressive award. In oneembodiment, the notification includes information relating to a storedprogressive award or information relating to the winning player. In thisembodiment, the notification may be provided in the form of a messagesent to the gaming device at which the winning player is playing. If thewinning player is not playing in the gaming system or cannot be locatedat another gaming device, the notification may be sent in any othermanner, such as through telephone, e-mail or any other suitable medium.In one embodiment, a electronic kiosk at the gaming establishment may beused to provide such notification and enable the winning players toclaim the progressive award. Alternatively, such notification isdisplayed on a website accessible to the players which providesinstructions for the winning player to claim the award at the gamingestablishment. In one instance, the winning player must return to thegaming establishment to claim the award.

In one embodiment, the gaming device or gaming system selects thewinning player during an accumulation period for the designatedprogressive award (i.e., before the progressive award is hit orawarded). For example, if the designated progressive award is set to hitafter 1,750,000 coins (e.g., $17,500 if each coin is one dollar and thedesignated progressive award starts at a default value equal to $0) areaccumulated, player who are playing at one of the gaming machines in thegaming system when the 1,750,000^(th) coin is wagered are eligible towin the designated progressive award. The gaming system tracks or groupsthe coin-in of these players and enables these players to be eligible towin the designated progressive award. In an alternate embodiment,players who contribute any of coins 1 to 1,750,000 are eligible to winthe designated progressive award. For example, a winning player for adesignated progressive award may be selected after the 1,700,000^(th)coin is inserted and the designated progressive award accumulates to$17,000 (i.e., based on a contribution rate of 1% if each coin is onedollar and the designated progressive award starts at a default valueequal to $0). When the designated progressive award accumulates to$17,500 (i.e., after 1,750,000 coins based on a contribution rate of 1%if each coin is one dollar and the designated progressive award startsat a default value equal to $0), the progressive award is awarded to thewinning player as described above. Since the winning player isindependently determined before the designated progressive award is hitor determined to be provided to a player, the winning player may be senta notification or announcement after the designated progressive awardreaches $17,500. Such a configuration reduces jackpot fatigue in onesense because a value of the designated progressive award when thewinning player is designated (i.e., $17,000) has no bearing on the valueof the progressive award provided to the winning player (i.e., $17,500).

Alternatively, in another embodiment, the gaming system selects thewinning player after one or more progressive awards have been hit orawarded. In this case, the gaming system disclosed herein stores thedesignated progressive award until the gaming system designates a playerto win that designated progressive award. In one embodiment, thedesignated progressive award reaches the award threshold at apredetermined time prior to a designation of the winning player. In suchembodiments, the gaming system causes a notification to be sent toplayers of gaming machines in the gaming system that the designatedprogressive award may be won shortly, e.g., in the next 15 minutes. Forexample, such notification may be displayed on an overhead display toinform players and non-players of the gaming devices of the progressiveaward. This generates great excitement and anticipation amongst thecurrent players and enables non-players to begin playing one of thegaming devices for the progressive award.

Accordingly, an advantage of the gaming system disclosed herein is toinclude a plurality of progressive awards wherein the gaming deviceprovides a player an opportunity to win one, more or each progressiveaward that the player has contributed to, regardless of whether thatplayer is currently playing one of the gaming machines in the gamingsystem. Such a configuration provides increased excitement and enjoymentfor players because the players are provided a chance to win a pluralityof progressive awards regardless of whether those players continue orstop playing at one of the gaming machines in the gaming system andregardless of whether one or more progressive awards are hit. Thisconfiguration also encourages players to join a loyalty program orplayer tracking system.

Additional features and advantages are described in, and will beapparent from, the following Detailed Description and the figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1A is a front-side perspective view of one embodiment of the gamingdevice disclosed herein.

FIG. 1B is a front-side perspective view of another embodiment of thegaming device disclosed herein.

FIG. 2A is a schematic block diagram of the electronic configuration ofone embodiment of the gaming device disclosed herein.

FIG. 2B is a schematic block diagram illustrating a plurality of gamingterminals in communication with a central controller.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of one embodiment of the gaming system disclosedherein illustrating an opportunity for one or more players to win aprogressive award.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of one embodiment of the gaming system disclosedherein illustrating an opportunity for one or more players to win aprogressive award, wherein the progressive award is stored until awinning player for that progressive award is designated.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a display device of one embodiment of thegaming device disclosed herein illustrating information relating to thegaming system storing one progressive award for a designated period oftime.

FIG. 6 is a timeline of one embodiment of different and independenttriggering events for a progressive award available to be provided to aplayer in the gaming system.

FIG. 7 is a chart of one embodiment of different and independenttriggering events for a progressive award available to be provided to aplayer in the gaming system.

FIG. 8 is a chart of one embodiment of different and independenttriggering events for a progressive award available to be provided to aplayer in the gaming system.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a display device of one embodiment of thegaming device disclosed herein illustrating information relating to thegaming system providing one progressive award within a designated periodof time.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure may be implemented in various configurations forgaming machines or gaming devices, including but not limited to: (1) adedicated gaming machine or gaming device, wherein the computerizedinstructions for controlling any games (which are provided by the gamingmachine or gaming device) are provided with the gaming machine or gamingdevice prior to delivery to a gaming establishment; and (2) a changeablegaming machine or gaming device, where the computerized instructions forcontrolling any games (which are provided by the gaming machine orgaming device) are downloadable to the gaming machine or gaming devicethrough a data network when the gaming machine or gaming device is in agaming establishment. In one embodiment, the computerized instructionsfor controlling any games are executed by a central server, centralcontroller or remote host. In such a “thin client” embodiment, thecentral server remotely controls any games (or other suitableinterfaces) and the gaming device is utilized to display such games (orsuitable interfaces) and receive one or more inputs or commands from aplayer. In another embodiment, the computerized instructions forcontrolling any games are communicated from the central server, centralcontroller or remote host to a gaming device local processor and memorydevices. In such a “thick client” embodiment, the gaming device localprocessor executes the communicated computerized instructions to controlany games (or other suitable interfaces) provided to a player.

In one embodiment, one or more gaming devices in a gaming system may bethin client gaming devices and one or more gaming devices in the gamingsystem may be thick client gaming devices. In another embodiment,certain functions of the gaming device are implemented in a thin clientenvironment and certain other functions of the gaming device areimplemented in a thick client environment. In one such embodiment,computerized instructions for controlling any primary games arecommunicated from the central server to the gaming device in a thickclient configuration and computerized instructions for controlling anysecondary games or bonus functions are executed by a central server in athin client configuration.

Referring now to the drawings, two example alternative embodiments ofthe gaming device of the gaming system disclosed herein are illustratedin FIGS. 1A and 1B as gaming device 10 a and gaming device 10 b,respectively. Gaming device 10 a and/or gaming device 10 b are generallyreferred to herein as gaming device 10.

In the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, gaming device 10 hasa support structure, housing or cabinet which provides support for aplurality of displays, inputs, controls and other features of aconventional gaming machine. It is configured so that a player canoperate it while standing or sitting. The gaming device may bepositioned on a base or stand or can be configured as a pub-styletable-top game (not shown) which a player can operate preferably whilesitting. As illustrated by the different configurations shown in FIGS.1A and 1B, the gaming device may have varying cabinet and displayconfigurations.

In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2A, the gaming devicepreferably includes at least one processor 12, such as a microprocessor,a microcontroller-based platform, a suitable integrated circuit or oneor more application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC's). The processoris in communication with or operable to access or to exchange signalswith at least one data storage or memory device 14. In one embodiment,the processor and the memory device reside within the cabinet of thegaming device. The memory device stores program code and instructions,executable by the processor, to control the gaming device. The memorydevice also stores other data such as image data, event data, playerinput data, random or pseudo-random number generators, pay-table data orinformation and applicable game rules that relate to the play of thegaming device. In one embodiment, the memory device includes randomaccess memory (RAM), which can include non-volatile RAM (NVRAM),magnetic RAM (MRAM), ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM) and other forms ascommonly understood in the gaming industry. In one embodiment, thememory device includes read only memory (ROM). In one embodiment, thememory device includes flash memory and/or EEPROM (electrically erasableprogrammable read only memory). Any other suitable magnetic, opticaland/or semiconductor memory may operate in conjunction with the gamingdevice disclosed herein.

In one embodiment, part or all of the program code and/or operating datadescribed above can be stored in a detachable or removable memorydevice, including, but not limited to, a suitable cartridge, disk, CDROM, DVD or USB memory device. In other embodiments, part or all of theprogram code and/or operating data described above can be downloaded tothe memory device through a suitable network.

In one embodiment, an operator or a player can use such a removablememory device in a desktop computer, a laptop personal computer, apersonal digital assistant (PDA), portable computing device, or othercomputerized platform to implement the present disclosure. In oneembodiment, the gaming device or gaming machine disclosed herein isoperable over a wireless network, such as part of a wireless gamingsystem. In this embodiment, the gaming machine may be a hand helddevice, a mobile device or any other suitable wireless device thatenables a player to play any suitable game at a variety of differentlocations. It should be appreciated that a gaming device or gamingmachine as disclosed herein may be a device that has obtained approvalfrom a regulatory gaming commission or a device that has not obtainedapproval from a regulatory gaming commission. It should be appreciatedthat the processor and memory device may be collectively referred toherein as a “computer” or “controller.”

In one embodiment, as discussed in more detail below, the gaming devicerandomly generates awards and/or other game outcomes based onprobability data. In one such embodiment, this random determination isprovided through utilization of a random number generator (RNG), such asa true random number generator, a pseudo random number generator orother suitable randomization process. In one embodiment, each award orother game outcome is associated with a probability and the gamingdevice generates the award or other game outcome to be provided to theplayer based on the associated probabilities. In this embodiment, sincethe gaming device generates outcomes randomly or based upon one or moreprobability calculations, there is no certainty that the gaming devicewill ever provide the player with any specific award or other gameoutcome.

In another embodiment, as discussed in more detail below, the gamingdevice employs a predetermined or finite set or pool of awards or othergame outcomes. In this embodiment, as each award or other game outcomeis provided to the player, the gaming device flags or removes theprovided award or other game outcome from the predetermined set or pool.Once flagged or removed from the set or pool, the specific providedaward or other game outcome from that specific pool cannot be providedto the player again. This type of gaming device provides players withall of the available awards or other game outcomes over the course ofthe play cycle and guarantees the amount of actual wins and losses.

In another embodiment, as discussed below, upon a player initiating gameplay at the gaming device, the gaming device enrolls in a bingo game. Inthis embodiment, a bingo server calls the bingo balls that result in aspecific bingo game outcome. The resultant game outcome is communicatedto the individual gaming device to be provided to a player. In oneembodiment, this bingo outcome is displayed to the player as a bingogame and/or in any form in accordance with the present disclosure.

In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2A, the gaming device includesone or more display devices controlled by the processor. The displaydevices are preferably connected to or mounted to the cabinet of thegaming device. The embodiment shown in FIG. 1A includes a centraldisplay device 16 which displays a primary game. This display device mayalso display any suitable secondary game associated with the primarygame as well as information relating to the primary or secondary game.The alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 1B includes a central displaydevice 16 and an upper display device 18. The upper display device maydisplay the primary game, any suitable secondary game associated or notassociated with the primary game and/or information relating to theprimary or secondary game. These display devices may also serve asdigital glass operable to advertise games or other aspects of the gamingestablishment. As seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B, in one embodiment, the gamingdevice includes a credit display 20 which displays a player's currentnumber of credits, cash, account balance or the equivalent. In oneembodiment, gaming device includes a bet display 22 which displays aplayer's amount wagered.

In another embodiment, at least one display device may be a mobiledisplay device, such as a PDA or tablet PC, that enables play of atleast a portion of the primary or secondary game at a location remotefrom the gaming device.

The display devices may include, without limitation, a monitor, atelevision display, a plasma display, a liquid crystal display (LCD) adisplay based on light emitting diodes (LED), a display based on aplurality of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), a display based onpolymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs), a display based on a plurality ofsurface-conduction electron-emitters (SEDs), a display including aprojected and/or reflected image or any other suitable electronic deviceor display mechanism. In one embodiment, as described in more detailbelow, the display device includes a touch-screen with an associatedtouch-screen controller. The display devices may be of any suitable sizeand configuration, such as a square, a rectangle or an elongatedrectangle.

The display devices of the gaming device are configured to display atleast one and preferably a plurality of game or other suitable images,symbols and indicia such as any visual representation or exhibition ofthe movement of objects such as mechanical, virtual or video reels andwheels, dynamic lighting, video images, images of people, characters,places, things and faces of cards, and the like.

In one alternative embodiment, the symbols, images and indicia displayedon or of the display device may be in mechanical form. That is, thedisplay device may include any electromechanical device, such as one ormore mechanical objects, such as one or more rotatable wheels, reels ordice, configured to display at least one or a plurality of game or othersuitable images, symbols or indicia.

As illustrated in FIG. 2A, in one embodiment, the gaming device includesat least one payment acceptor 24 in communication with the processor. Asseen in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the payment acceptor may include a coin slot 26and a payment, note or bill acceptor 28, where the player inserts money,coins or tokens. The player can place coins in the coin slot or papermoney, a ticket or voucher into the payment, note or bill acceptor. Inother embodiments, devices such as readers or validators for creditcards, debit cards or credit slips may accept payment. In oneembodiment, a player may insert an identification card into a cardreader of the gaming device. In one embodiment, the identification cardis a smart card having a programmed microchip or a magnetic strip codedwith a player's identification, credit totals (or related data) andother relevant information. In another embodiment, a player may carry aportable device, such as a cell phone, a radio frequency identificationtag or any other suitable wireless device, which communicates a player'sidentification, credit totals (or related data) and other relevantinformation to the gaming device. In one embodiment, money may betransferred to a gaming device through electronic funds transfer. When aplayer funds the gaming device, the processor determines the amount offunds entered and displays the corresponding amount on the credit orother suitable display as described above.

As seen in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2A, in one embodiment the gaming deviceincludes at least one and preferably a plurality of input devices 30 incommunication with the processor. The input devices can include anysuitable device which enables the player to produce an input signalwhich is received by the processor. In one embodiment, after appropriatefunding of the gaming device, the input device is a game activationdevice, such as a pull arm 32 or a play button 34 which is used by theplayer to start any primary game or sequence of events in the gamingdevice. The play button can be any suitable play activator such as a betone button, a max bet button or a repeat the bet button. In oneembodiment, upon appropriate funding, the gaming device begins the gameplay automatically. In another embodiment, upon the player engaging oneof the play buttons, the gaming device automatically activates gameplay.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, one input device is abet one button 36. The player places a bet by pushing the bet onebutton. The player can increase the bet by one credit each time theplayer pushes the bet one button. When the player pushes the bet onebutton, the number of credits shown in the credit display preferablydecreases by one, and the number of credits shown in the bet displaypreferably increases by one. In another embodiment, one input device isa bet max button (not shown) which enables the player to bet the maximumwager permitted for a game of the gaming device.

In one embodiment, one input device is a cash out button 38. The playermay push the cash out button and cash out to receive a cash payment orother suitable form of payment corresponding to the number of remainingcredits. In one embodiment, when the player cashes out, the playerreceives the coins or tokens in a coin payout tray 40. In oneembodiment, when the player cashes out, the player may receive otherpayout mechanisms such as tickets or credit slips redeemable by acashier (or other suitable redemption system) or funding to the player'selectronically recordable identification card.

In one embodiment, as mentioned above and seen in FIG. 2A, one inputdevice is a touch-screen 42 coupled with a touch-screen controller 44,or some other touch-sensitive display overlay to allow for playerinteraction with the images on the display. The touch-screen and thetouch-screen controller are connected to a video controller 46. A playercan make decisions and input signals into the gaming device by touchingthe touch-screen at the appropriate places. One such input device is aconventional touch-screen button panel.

The gaming device may further include a plurality of communication portsfor enabling communication of the processor with external peripherals,such as external video sources, expansion buses, game or other displays,an SCSI port or a key pad.

In one embodiment, as seen in FIG. 2A, the gaming device includes asound generating device controlled by one or more sounds cards 48 whichfunction in conjunction with the processor. In one embodiment, the soundgenerating device includes at least one and preferably a plurality ofspeakers 50 or other sound generating hardware and/or software forgenerating sounds, such as playing music for the primary and/orsecondary game or for other modes of the gaming device, such as anattract mode. In one embodiment, the gaming device provides dynamicsounds coupled with attractive multimedia images displayed on one ormore of the display devices to provide an audio-visual representation orto otherwise display full-motion video with sound to attract players tothe gaming device. During idle periods, the gaming device may display asequence of audio and/or visual attraction messages to attract potentialplayers to the gaming device. The videos may also be customized for orto provide any appropriate information.

In one embodiment, the gaming machine may include a sensor, such as acamera in communication with the processor (and possibly controlled bythe processor) that is selectively positioned to acquire an image of aplayer actively using the gaming device and/or the surrounding area ofthe gaming device. In one embodiment, the camera may be configured toselectively acquire still or moving (e.g., video) images and may beconfigured to acquire the images in either an analog, digital or othersuitable format. The display devices may be configured to display theimage acquired by the camera as well as display the visiblemanifestation of the game in split screen or picture-in-picture fashion.For example, the camera may acquire an image of the player and theprocessor may incorporate that image into the primary and/or secondarygame as a game image, symbol or indicia.

Gaming device 10 can incorporate any suitable wagering primary or basegame. The gaming machine or device may include some or all of thefeatures of conventional gaming machines or devices. The primary or basegame may comprise any suitable reel-type game, card game, cascading orfalling symbol game, number game or other game of chance susceptible torepresentation in an electronic or electromechanical form, which in oneembodiment produces a random outcome based on probability data at thetime of or after placement of a wager. That is, different primarywagering games, such as video poker games, video blackjack games, videokeno, video bingo or any other suitable primary or base game may beimplemented.

In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a base or primarygame may be a slot game with one or more paylines 52. The paylines maybe horizontal, vertical, circular, diagonal, angled or any combinationthereof. In this embodiment, the gaming device includes at least one andpreferably a plurality of reels 54, such as three to five reels 54, ineither electromechanical form with mechanical rotating reels or videoform with simulated reels and movement thereof. In one embodiment, anelectromechanical slot machine includes a plurality of adjacent,rotatable reels which may be combined and operably coupled with anelectronic display of any suitable type. In another embodiment, if thereels 54 are in video form, one or more of the display devices, asdescribed above, display the plurality of simulated video reels 54. Eachreel 54 displays a plurality of indicia or symbols, such as bells,hearts, fruits, numbers, letters, bars or other images which preferablycorrespond to a theme associated with the gaming device. In anotherembodiment, one or more reels are independent reels or unisymbol reels.In this embodiment, each independent or unisymbol reel generates anddisplays one symbol to the player. In one embodiment, the gaming deviceawards prizes after the reels of the primary game stop spinning ifspecified types and/or configurations of indicia or symbols occur on anactive payline or otherwise occur in a winning pattern, occur on therequisite number of adjacent reels and/or occur in a scatter payarrangement.

In an alternative embodiment, rather than determining any outcome toprovide to the player by analyzing the symbols generated on any wageredupon paylines as described above, the gaming device determines anyoutcome to provide to the player based on the number of associatedsymbols which are generated in active symbol positions on the requisitenumber of adjacent reels (i.e., not on paylines passing through anydisplayed winning symbol combinations). In this embodiment, if a winningsymbol combination is generated on the reels, the gaming device providesthe player one award for that occurrence of the generated winning symbolcombination. For example, if one winning symbol combination is generatedon the reels, the gaming device will provide a single award to theplayer for that winning symbol combination (i.e., not based on thenumber of paylines that would have passed through that winning symbolcombination). It should be appreciated that because a gaming device withwagering on ways to win provides the player one award for a singleoccurrence of a winning symbol combination and a gaming device withpaylines may provide the player more than one award for the sameoccurrence of a single winning symbol combination (i.e., if a pluralityof paylines each pass through the same winning symbol combination), itis possible to provide a player at a ways to win gaming device with moreways to win for an equivalent bet or wager on a traditional slot gamingdevice with paylines.

In one embodiment, the total number of ways to win is determined bymultiplying the number of symbols generated in active symbol positionson a first reel by the number of symbols generated in active symbolpositions on a second reel by the number of symbols generated in activesymbol positions on a third reel and so on for each reel of the gamingdevice with at least one symbol generated in an active symbol position.For example, a three reel gaming device with three symbols generated inactive symbol positions on each reel includes 27 ways to win (i.e., 3symbols on the first reel×3 symbols on the second reel×3 symbols on thethird reel). A four reel gaming device with three symbols generated inactive symbol positions on each reel includes 81 ways to win (i.e., 3symbols on the first reel×3 symbols on the second reel×3 symbols on thethird reel×3 symbols on the fourth reel). A five reel gaming device withthree symbols generated in active symbol positions on each reel includes243 ways to win (i.e., 3 symbols on the first reel×3 symbols on thesecond reel×3 symbols on the third reel×3 symbols on the fourth reel×3symbols on the fifth reel). It should be appreciated that modifying thenumber of generated symbols by either modifying the number of reels ormodifying the number of symbols generated in active symbol positions byone or more of the reels, modifies the number of ways to win.

In another embodiment, the gaming device enables a player to wager onand thus activate symbol positions. In one such embodiment, the symbolpositions are on the reels. In this embodiment, if based on the player'swager, a reel is activated, then each of the symbol positions of thatreel will be activated and each of the active symbol positions will bepart of one or more of the ways to win. In one embodiment, if based onthe player's wager, a reel is not activated, then a designated number ofdefault symbol positions, such as a single symbol position of the middlerow of the reel, will be activated and the default symbol position(s)will be part of one or more of the ways to win. This type of gamingmachine enables a player to wager on one, more or each of the reels andthe processor of the gaming device uses the number of wagered on reelsto determine the active symbol positions and the number of possible waysto win. In alternative embodiments, (1) no symbols are displayed asgenerated at any of the inactive symbol positions, or (2) any symbolsgenerated at any inactive symbol positions may be displayed to theplayer but suitably shaded or otherwise designated as inactive.

In one embodiment wherein a player wagers on one or more reels, aplayer's wager of one credit may activate each of the three symbolpositions on a first reel, wherein one default symbol position isactivated on each of the remaining four reels. In this example, asdescribed above, the gaming device provides the player three ways to win(i.e., 3 symbols on the first reel×1 symbol on the second reel×1 symbolon the third reel×1 symbol on the fourth reel×1 symbol on the fifthreel). In another example, a player's wager of nine credits may activateeach of the three symbol positions on a first reel, each of the threesymbol positions on a second reel and each of the three symbol positionson a third reel wherein one default symbol position is activated on eachof the remaining two reels. In this example, as described above, thegaming device provides the player twenty-seven ways to win (i.e., 3symbols on the first reel×3 symbols on the second reel×3 symbols on thethird reel×1 symbol on the fourth reel×1 symbol on the fifth reel).

In one embodiment, to determine any award(s) to provide to the playerbased on the generated symbols, the gaming device individuallydetermines if a symbol generated in an active symbol position on a firstreel forms part of a winning symbol combination with or is otherwisesuitably related to a symbol generated in an active symbol position on asecond reel. In this embodiment, the gaming device classifies each pairof symbols which form part of a winning symbol combination (i.e., eachpair of related symbols) as a string of related symbols. For example, ifactive symbol positions include a first cherry symbol generated in thetop row of a first reel and a second cherry symbol generated in thebottom row of a second reel, the gaming device classifies the two cherrysymbols as a string of related symbols because the two cherry symbolsform part of a winning symbol combination.

After determining if any strings of related symbols are formed betweenthe symbols on the first reel and the symbols on the second reel, thegaming device determines if any of the symbols from the next adjacentreel should be added to any of the formed strings of related symbols. Inthis embodiment, for a first of the classified strings of relatedsymbols, the gaming device determines if any of the symbols generated bythe next adjacent reel form part of a winning symbol combination or areotherwise related to the symbols of the first string of related symbols.If the gaming device determines that a symbol generated on the nextadjacent reel is related to the symbols of the first string of relatedsymbols, that symbol is subsequently added to the first string ofrelated symbols. For example, if the first string of related symbols isthe string of related cherry symbols and a related cherry symbol isgenerated in the middle row of the third reel, the gaming device addsthe related cherry symbol generated on the third reel to the previouslyclassified string of cherry symbols.

On the other hand, if the gaming device determines that no symbolsgenerated on the next adjacent reel are related to the symbols of thefirst string of related symbols, the gaming device marks or flags suchstring of related symbols as complete. For example, if the first stringof related symbols is the string of related cherry symbols and none ofthe symbols of the third reel are related to the cherry symbols of thepreviously classified string of cherry symbols, the gaming device marksor flags the string of cherry symbols as complete.

After either adding a related symbol to the first string of relatedsymbols or marking the first string of related symbols as complete, thegaming device proceeds as described above for each of the remainingclassified strings of related symbols which were previously classifiedor formed from related symbols on the first and second reels.

After analyzing each of the remaining strings of related symbols, thegaming device determines, for each remaining pending or incompletestring of related symbols, if any of the symbols from the next adjacentreel, if any, should be added to any of the previously classifiedstrings of related symbols. This process continues until either eachstring of related symbols is complete or there are no more adjacentreels of symbols to analyze. In this embodiment, where there are no moreadjacent reels of symbols to analyze, the gaming device marks each ofthe remaining pending strings of related symbols as complete.

When each of the strings of related symbols is marked complete, thegaming device compares each of the strings of related symbols to anappropriate paytable and provides the player any award associated witheach of the completed strings of symbols. It should be appreciated thatthe player is provided one award, if any, for each string of relatedsymbols generated in active symbol positions (i.e., as opposed to beingbased on how many paylines that would have passed through each of thestrings of related symbols in active symbol positions).

In one embodiment, a base or primary game may be a poker game whereinthe gaming device enables the player to play a conventional game ofvideo draw poker and initially deals five cards all face up from avirtual deck of fifty-two card deck. Cards may be dealt as in atraditional game of cards or in the case of the gaming device, may alsoinclude that the cards are randomly selected from a predetermined numberof cards. If the player wishes to draw, the player selects the cards tohold via one or more input device, such as pressing related hold buttonsor via the touch screen. The player then presses the deal button and theunwanted or discarded cards are removed from the display and the gamingmachine deals the replacement cards from the remaining cards in thedeck. This results in a final five-card hand. The gaming device comparesthe final five-card hand to a payout table which utilizes conventionalpoker hand rankings to determine the winning hands. The gaming deviceprovides the player with an award based on a winning hand and thecredits the player wagered.

In another embodiment, the base or primary game may be a multi-handversion of video poker. In this embodiment, the gaming device deals theplayer at least two hands of cards. In one such embodiment, the cardsare the same cards. In one embodiment each hand of cards is associatedwith its own deck of cards. The player chooses the cards to hold in aprimary hand. The held cards in the primary hand are also held in theother hands of cards. The remaining non-held cards are removed from eachhand displayed and for each hand replacement cards are randomly dealtinto that hand. Since the replacement cards are randomly dealtindependently for each hand, the replacement cards for each hand willusually be different. The poker hand rankings are then determined handby hand and awards are provided to the player.

In one embodiment, a base or primary game may be a keno game wherein thegaming device displays a plurality of selectable indicia or numbers onat least one of the display devices. In this embodiment, the playerselects at least one or a plurality of the selectable indicia or numbersvia an input device such as the touch screen. The gaming device thendisplays a series of drawn numbers to determine an amount of matches, ifany, between the player's selected numbers and the gaming device's drawnnumbers. The player is provided an award based on the amount of matches,if any, based on the amount of determined matches.

In one embodiment, in addition to winning credits or other awards in abase or primary game, the gaming device may also give players theopportunity to win credits in a bonus or secondary game or bonus orsecondary round. The bonus or secondary game enables the player toobtain a prize or payout in addition to the prize or payout, if any,obtained from the base or primary game. In general, a bonus or secondarygame produces a significantly higher level of player excitement than thebase or primary game because it provides a greater expectation ofwinning than the base or primary game and is accompanied with moreattractive or unusual features than the base or primary game. In oneembodiment, the bonus or secondary game may be any type of suitablegame, either similar to or completely different from the base or primarygame.

In one embodiment, the triggering event or qualifying condition may be aselected outcome in the primary game or a particular arrangement of oneor more indicia on a display device in the primary game, such as thenumber seven appearing on three adjacent reels along a payline in theprimary slot game embodiment seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B. In otherembodiments, the triggering event or qualifying condition may be byexceeding a certain amount of game play (such as number of games, numberof credits, amount of time), or reaching a specified number of pointsearned during game play.

In another embodiment, the gaming device processor 12 or central server56 randomly provides the player one or more plays of one or moresecondary games. In one such embodiment, the gaming device does notprovide any apparent reasons to the player for qualifying to play asecondary or bonus game. In this embodiment, qualifying for a bonus gameis not triggered by an event in or based specifically on any of theplays of any primary game. That is, the gaming device may simply qualifya player to play a secondary game without any explanation oralternatively with simple explanations. In another embodiment, thegaming device (or central server) qualifies a player for a secondarygame at least partially based on a game triggered or symbol triggeredevent, such as at least partially based on the play of a primary game.

In one embodiment, the gaming device includes a program which willautomatically begin a bonus round after the player has achieved atriggering event or qualifying condition in the base or primary game. Inanother embodiment, after a player has qualified for a bonus game, theplayer may subsequently enhance his/her bonus game participation throughcontinued play on the base or primary game. Thus, for each bonusqualifying event, such as a bonus symbol, that the player obtains, agiven number of bonus game wagering points or credits may be accumulatedin a “bonus meter” programmed to accrue the bonus wagering credits orentries toward eventual participation in a bonus game. The occurrence ofmultiple such bonus qualifying events in the primary game may result inan arithmetic or exponential increase in the number of bonus wageringcredits awarded. In one embodiment, the player may redeem extra bonuswagering credits during the bonus game to extend play of the bonus game.

In one embodiment, no separate entry fee or buy in for a bonus game needbe employed. That is, a player may not purchase an entry into a bonusgame, rather they must win or earn entry through play of the primarygame thus, encouraging play of the primary game. In another embodiment,qualification of the bonus or secondary game is accomplished through asimple “buy in” by the player, for example, if the player has beenunsuccessful at qualifying through other specified activities. Inanother embodiment, the player must make a separate side-wager on thebonus game or wager a designated amount in the primary game to qualifyfor the secondary game. In this embodiment, the secondary gametriggering event must occur and the side-wager (or designated primarygame wager amount) must have been placed to trigger the secondary game.

In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2B, one or more of the gamingdevices 10 are in communication with each other and/or at least onecentral server, central controller or remote host 56 through a datanetwork or remote communication link 58. In this embodiment, the centralserver, central controller or remote host is any suitable server orcomputing device which includes at least one processor and at least onememory or storage device. In different such embodiments, the centralserver is a progressive controller or a processor of one of the gamingdevices in the gaming system. In these embodiments, the processor ofeach gaming device is designed to transmit and receive events, messages,commands or any other suitable data or signal between the individualgaming device and the central server. The gaming device processor isoperable to execute such communicated events, messages or commands inconjunction with the operation of the gaming device. Moreover, theprocessor of the central server is designed to transmit and receiveevents, messages, commands or any other suitable data or signal betweenthe central server and each of the individual gaming devices. Thecentral server processor is operable to execute such communicatedevents, messages or commands in conjunction with the operation of thecentral server. It should be appreciated that one, more or each of thefunctions of the central controller as disclosed herein may be performedby one or more gaming device processors. It should be furtherappreciated that one, more or each of the functions of one or moregaming device processors as disclosed herein may be performed by thecentral controller.

In one embodiment, the game outcome provided to the player is determinedby a central server or controller and provided to the player at thegaming device. In this embodiment, each of a plurality of such gamingdevices are in communication with the central server or controller. Upona player initiating game play at one of the gaming devices, theinitiated gaming device communicates a game outcome request to thecentral server or controller.

In one embodiment, the central server or controller receives the gameoutcome request and randomly generates a game outcome for the primarygame based on probability data. In another embodiment, the centralserver or controller randomly generates a game outcome for the secondarygame based on probability data. In another embodiment, the centralserver or controller randomly generates a game outcome for both theprimary game and the secondary game based on probability data. In thisembodiment, the central server or controller is capable of storing andutilizing program code or other data similar to the processor and memorydevice of the gaming device.

In an alternative embodiment, the central server or controller maintainsone or more predetermined pools or sets of predetermined game outcomes.In this embodiment, the central server or controller receives the gameoutcome request and independently selects a predetermined game outcomefrom a set or pool of game outcomes. The central server or controllerflags or marks the selected game outcome as used. Once a game outcome isflagged as used, it is prevented from further selection from the set orpool and cannot be selected by the central controller or server uponanother wager. The provided game outcome can include a primary gameoutcome, a secondary game outcome, primary and secondary game outcomes,or a series of game outcomes such as free games.

The central server or controller communicates the generated or selectedgame outcome to the initiated gaming device. The gaming device receivesthe generated or selected game outcome and provides the game outcome tothe player. In an alternative embodiment, how the generated or selectedgame outcome is to be presented or displayed to the player, such as areel symbol combination of a slot machine or a hand of cards dealt in acard game, is also determined by the central server or controller andcommunicated to the initiated gaming device to be presented or displayedto the player. Central production or control can assist a gamingestablishment or other entity in maintaining appropriate records,controlling gaming, reducing and preventing cheating or electronic orother errors, reducing or eliminating win-loss volatility and the like.

In another embodiment, a predetermined game outcome value is determinedfor each of a plurality of linked or networked gaming devices based onthe results of a bingo or keno game. In this embodiment, each individualgaming device utilizes one or more bingo or keno games to determine thepredetermined game outcome value provided to the player for theinteractive game played at that gaming device. In one embodiment, thebingo or keno game is displayed to the player. In another embodiment,the bingo or keno game is not displayed to the player, but the resultsof the bingo or keno game determine the predetermined game outcome valuefor the primary or secondary game.

In the various bingo embodiments, as each gaming device is enrolled inthe bingo game, such as upon an appropriate wager or engaging an inputdevice, the enrolled gaming device is provided or associated with adifferent bingo card. Each bingo card consists of a matrix or array ofelements, wherein each element is designated with a separate indicia,such as a number. It should be appreciated that each different bingocard includes a different combination of elements. For example, if fourbingo cards are provided to four enrolled gaming devices, the sameelement may be present on all four of the bingo cards while anotherelement may solely be present on one of the bingo cards.

In operation of these embodiments, upon providing or associating adifferent bingo card to each of a plurality of enrolled gaming devices,the central controller randomly selects or draws, one at a time, aplurality of the elements. As each element is selected, a determinationis made for each gaming device as to whether the selected element ispresent on the bingo card provided to that enrolled gaming device. Thisdetermination can be made by the central controller, the gaming device,a combination of the two, or in any other suitable manner. If theselected element is present on the bingo card provided to that enrolledgaming device, that selected element on the provided bingo card ismarked or flagged. This process of selecting elements and marking anyselected elements on the provided bingo cards continues until one ormore predetermined patterns are marked on one or more of the providedbingo cards. It should be appreciated that in one embodiment, the gamingdevice requires the player to engage a daub button (not shown) toinitiate the process of the gaming device marking or flagging anyselected elements.

After one or more predetermined patterns are marked on one or more ofthe provided bingo cards, a game outcome is determined for each of theenrolled gaming devices based, at least in part, on the selectedelements on the provided bingo cards. As described above, the gameoutcome determined for each gaming device enrolled in the bingo game isutilized by that gaming device to determine the predetermined gameoutcome provided to the player. For example, a first gaming device tohave selected elements marked in a predetermined pattern is provided afirst outcome of win $10 which will be provided to a first playerregardless of how the first player plays in a first game and a secondgaming device to have selected elements marked in a differentpredetermined pattern is provided a second outcome of win $2 which willbe provided to a second player regardless of how the second player playsa second game. It should be appreciated that as the process of markingselected elements continues until one or more predetermined patterns aremarked, this embodiment ensures that at least one bingo card will winthe bingo game and thus at least one enrolled gaming device will providea predetermined winning game outcome to a player. It should beappreciated that other suitable methods for selecting or determining oneor more predetermined game outcomes may be employed.

In one example of the above-described embodiment, the predetermined gameoutcome may be based on a supplemental award in addition to any awardprovided for winning the bingo game as described above. In thisembodiment, if one or more elements are marked in supplemental patternswithin a designated number of drawn elements, a supplemental orintermittent award or value associated with the marked supplementalpattern is provided to the player as part of the predetermined gameoutcome. For example, if the four corners of a bingo card are markedwithin the first twenty selected elements, a supplemental award of $10is provided to the player as part of the predetermined game outcome. Itshould be appreciated that in this embodiment, the player of a gamingdevice may be provided a supplemental or intermittent award regardlessof if the enrolled gaming device's provided bingo card wins or does notwin the bingo game as described above.

In another embodiment, one or more of the gaming devices are incommunication with a central server or controller for monitoringpurposes only. That is, each individual gaming device randomly generatesthe game outcomes to be provided to the player and the central server orcontroller monitors the activities and events occurring on the pluralityof gaming devices. In one embodiment, the gaming network includes areal-time or on-line accounting and gaming information system operablycoupled to the central server or controller. The accounting and gaminginformation system of this embodiment includes a player database forstoring player profiles, a player tracking module for tracking playersand a credit system for providing automated casino transactions.

In one embodiment, the gaming device disclosed herein is associated withor otherwise integrated with one or more player tracking systems. Inthis embodiment, the gaming device and/or player tracking system tracksany players gaming activity at the gaming device. In one suchembodiment, the gaming device and/or associated player tracking systemtimely tracks when a player inserts their playing tracking card to begina gaming session and also timely tracks when a player removes theirplayer tracking card when concluding play for that gaming session. Inanother embodiment, rather than requiring a player to insert a playertracking card, the gaming device utilizes one or more portable devicescarried by a player, such as a cell phone, a radio frequencyidentification tag or any other suitable wireless device to track when aplayer begins and ends a gaming session. In another embodiment, thegaming device utilizes any suitable biometric technology or tickettechnology to track when a player begins and ends a gaming session.

During one or more gaming sessions, the gaming device and/or playertracking system tracks any suitable information, such as any amountswagered, average wager amounts and/or the time these wagers are placed.In different embodiments, for one or more players, the player trackingsystem includes the player's account number, the player's card number,the player's first name, the player's surname, the player's preferredname, the player's player tracking ranking, any promotion statusassociated with the player's player tracking card, the player's address,the player's birthday, the player's anniversary, the player's recentgaming sessions, or any other suitable data.

In one embodiment, a plurality of the gaming devices are capable ofbeing connected together through a data network. In one embodiment, thedata network is a local area network (LAN), in which one or more of thegaming devices are substantially proximate to each other and an on-sitecentral server or controller as in, for example, a gaming establishmentor a portion of a gaming establishment. In another embodiment, the datanetwork is a wide area network (WAN) in which one or more of the gamingdevices are in communication with at least one off-site central serveror controller. In this embodiment, the plurality of gaming devices maybe located in a different part of the gaming establishment or within adifferent gaming establishment than the off-site central server orcontroller. Thus, the WAN may include an off-site central server orcontroller and an off-site gaming device located within gamingestablishments in the same geographic area, such as a city or state. TheWAN gaming system may be substantially identical to the LAN gamingsystem described above, although the number of gaming devices in eachsystem may vary relative to each other.

In another embodiment, the data network is an internet or intranet. Inthis embodiment, the operation of the gaming device can be viewed at thegaming device with at least one internet browser. In this embodiment,operation of the gaming device and accumulation of credits may beaccomplished with only a connection to the central server or controller(the internet/intranet server) through a conventional phone or otherdata transmission line, digital subscriber line (DSL), T-1 line, coaxialcable, fiber optic cable, or other suitable connection. In thisembodiment, players may access an internet game page from any locationwhere an internet connection and computer, or other internet facilitatoris available. The expansion in the number of computers and number andspeed of internet connections in recent years increases opportunitiesfor players to play from an ever-increasing number of remote sites. Itshould be appreciated that enhanced bandwidth of digital wirelesscommunications may render such technology suitable for some or allcommunications, particularly if such communications are encrypted.Higher data transmission speeds may be useful for enhancing thesophistication and response of the display and interaction with theplayer.

As mentioned above, in one embodiment, the present disclosure may beemployed in a server based gaming system. In one such embodiment, asdescribed above, one or more gaming devices are in communication with acentral server or controller. The central server or controller may beany suitable server or computing device which includes at least oneprocessor and a memory or storage device. In alternative embodiments,the central server is a progressive controller or another gaming machinein the gaming system. In one embodiment, the memory device of thecentral server stores different game programs and instructions,executable by a gaming device processor, to control the gaming device.Each executable game program represents a different game or type of gamewhich may be played on one or more of the gaming devices in the gamingsystem. Such different games may include the same or substantially thesame game play with different pay tables. In different embodiments, theexecutable game program is for a primary game, a secondary game or both.In another embodiment, the game program may be executable as a secondarygame to be played simultaneous with the play of a primary game (whichmay be downloaded to or fixed on the gaming device) or vice versa.

In this embodiment, each gaming device at least includes one or moredisplay devices and/or one or more input devices for interaction with aplayer. A local processor, such as the above-described gaming deviceprocessor or a processor of a local server, is operable with the displaydevice(s) and/or the input device(s) of one or more of the gamingdevices.

In operation, the central controller is operable to communicate one ormore of the stored game programs to at least one local processor. Indifferent embodiments, the stored game programs are communicated ordelivered by embedding the communicated game program in a device or acomponent (e.g., a microchip to be inserted in a gaming device), writingthe game program on a disc or other media, downloading or streaming thegame program over a dedicated data network, internet or a telephoneline. After the stored game programs are communicated from the centralserver, the local processor executes the communicated program tofacilitate play of the communicated program by a player through thedisplay device(s) and/or input device(s) of the gaming device. That is,when a game program is communicated to a local processor, the localprocessor changes the game or type of game played at the gaming device.

In another embodiment, a plurality of players at a plurality of linkedgaming devices in a gaming system participate in a group gamingenvironment. In one embodiment, a plurality of players at a plurality oflinked gaming devices work in conjunction with one another, such asplaying together as a team or group, to win one or more awards. In onesuch embodiment, any award won by the group is shared, either equally orbased on any suitable criteria, amongst the different players of thegroup. In another embodiment, a plurality of players at a plurality oflinked gaming devices compete against one another for one or moreawards. In one such embodiment, a plurality of players at a plurality oflinked gaming devices participate in a gaming tournament for one or moreawards. In another embodiment, a plurality of players at a plurality oflinked gaming devices play for one or more awards wherein an outcomegenerated by one gaming device affects the outcomes generated by one ormore linked gaming devices.

Progressive Awards

In one embodiment, one or more of the gaming devices disclosed hereinare in communication with or linked to a central server or controller toform a gaming system. In one such embodiment, the gaming system includesa plurality of linked gaming machines wherein one of the gaming machinesfunctions as the central server or controller. In one embodiment, one,more or each of the progressive awards are maintained by the centralcontroller of the gaming system. In one such embodiment, the centralcontroller enables a player at any gaming device in the gaming system tocontribute coin-in or a portion of each wager to one or more of theprogressive awards maintained by the central controller. In thisembodiment, the winning player and the amount of the progressive awardare based, at least in part, on the player's contribution. That is, thegaming system selects a winning player independently from the amount ofthe progressive award provided to the winning player.

In one embodiment, a master host site computer is coupled to a pluralityof the central servers at a variety of mutually remote gaming sites forproviding a multi-site linked progressive automated gaming system. Inone embodiment, a master host site computer may serve gaming devicesdistributed throughout a number of properties at different geographicallocations including, for example, different locations within a city ordifferent cities within a state. In one embodiment, the master host sitecomputer is maintained for the overall operation and control of thesystem. In this embodiment, a master host site computer oversees all orpart of the progressive gaming system and is the master for computingall or part of the progressive jackpots. All participating gaming sitesreport to, and receive information from, the master host site computer.Each central server computer is responsible for all data communicationbetween the gaming device hardware and software and the master host sitecomputer.

In one embodiment, one or more of the progressive awards start atdifferent levels such as $10, $100, $1000 and $10,000 and increment orincrease until provided to a player. The progressive awards accumulatebased on a small percentage (such as 1%) of coin-in or wagered amountsin a conventional manner. In one embodiment, the percentage that goes toeach progressive award is equal (such as 1% to each of four progressiveawards). At this accrual rate, player wagers totaling $100,000 arerequired for the progressive to reach $1000 (e.g., if each coin is onedollar and the start up value of the progressive award is $0). Forexample, based on an accrual or contribution rate of 1%, a player whowagers $10,000 at one of the gaming machines contributes or funds $100to the progressive award and a player who wagers $5,000 at one of thegaming machines contributes or funds $500 to the progressive award. Atleast a fraction of this amount may be funded by the casino by using astarting value higher than zero to make the progressive awardsattractive even after they are reset. In other embodiments, two or moreof the progressive awards may be funded by different percentages. Inthese embodiments, the central server and/or individual gaming deviceprocessor continues to increase the progressive levels until aprogressive award is provided to a player (upon the occurrence of aprogressive award triggering event), at which point the progressive isreset and another progressive award starts incrementing from theappropriate default progressive award level. In another embodiment, twoor more of the progressive awards may be funded at different temporalrates. In this embodiment, the different progressive awards areincremented or funded in different increments of time wherein until theprogressive hits, a set amount is added to the progressive at eachdetermined time increment. In another embodiment, two or more of theprogressive awards may each be incremented or funded based on differentincrementing factors or incrementors. In this embodiment, a first of theprogressive awards may increment each time a first incrementing factoroccurs and a second of the progressive awards may increment each time asecond incrementing factor occurs, wherein the first incrementing factorand the second incrementing factor are different. Examples ofincrementing factors could be a symbol-driven trigger in the base game,the occurrence of one or more events in a bonus game, the player bettinga maximum amount, a percentage of possible gaming machines beingactively played or in active status, or any other suitable method fordefining an incrementor.

In one embodiment, one or more of the progressive awards are each fundedvia a side bet or side wager. In this embodiment, a player must place orwager a side bet to be eligible to win the progressive award associatedwith the side bet. In one embodiment, the player must place the maximumbet and the side bet to be eligible to win one of the progressiveawards. In another embodiment, if the player places or wagers therequired side bet, the player may wager at any credit amount on anypayline (i.e., the player need not place the maximum bet and the sidebet to be eligible to win one of the progressive awards). In one suchembodiment, the greater the player's wager (in addition to the placedside bet), the greater the odds or probability that the player will winone of the progressive awards. It should be appreciated that one or moreof the progressive awards may each be funded, at least in part, based onthe wagers placed on the primary games of the gaming machines in thegaming system, via a gaming establishment or via any suitable manner.

In another embodiment, one or more of the progressive awards arepartially funded via a side-bet or side-wager which the player may make(and which may be tracked via a side-bet meter). In one embodiment, oneor more of the progressive awards are funded with only side-bets orside-wagers placed. In another embodiment, one or more of theprogressive awards are funded based on player's wagers as describedabove as well as any side-bets or side-wagers placed.

In one alternative embodiment, a minimum wager level is required for agaming machine or a player to qualify to be selected to obtain one ofthe progressive awards. In one embodiment, this minimum wager level isthe maximum wager level for the primary game in the gaming machine. Inanother embodiment, this minimum wager level is placing a wager on allavailable paylines in a slot primary game or alternatively placing awager on all available poker hands in a multi-hand poker primary game.In another embodiment, no minimum wager level is required for a gamingmachine or a player to qualify to be selected to obtain one of theprogressive awards.

In another embodiment, one or more progressive awards are funded, atleast partially, via an amount provided by one or more marketing and/oradvertising departments, such as a casino's marketing department. Inthis embodiment, when a progressive award increments to the amount ofmoney provided by the marketing or advertising department (or any otherdesignated amount), the progressive award is triggered and provided toone or more players.

In one embodiment, a plurality of gaming machines at one or more gamingsites are networked to the central server in a progressiveconfiguration, wherein a portion of each wager placed is allocated toone or more progressive awards. As described below in greater detail,this progressive configuration enables the gaming system to provide oneor more players with an opportunity to win a progressive award. In oneembodiment, the progressive awards are associated with the gamingmachines in the gaming system which each contribute portions of theprogressive awards. In one such embodiment, as players of the gamingmachines play for one or more of the progressive awards, a portion ofeach player's wager contributes to an accumulated value of a designatedprogressive award.

In one embodiment, each player who contributed to the designatedprogressive award is eligible to win that designated progressive awardregardless of whether the player is playing for that designatedprogressive award (e.g., the player switched gaming machines withdifferent progressive awards) or has stopped playing at one of thegaming machines in the gaming system (e.g., the player left the casinoor gaming establishment). It should be appreciated that the playerscurrently playing at one of the gaming machines in the gaming systemwhen the designated progressive award hits (i.e., is triggered) orplayers who have played at one of the gaming machines in the gamingsystem during a designated time period may be eligible to win thedesignated progressive award. For example, a progressive award valued at$10,000 may be maintained by the gaming system and provided to one ormore designated players. Player A plays at one of the gaming machines inthe gaming system and contributes $20.00 coin-in to the progressiveaward before stopping play. Player B plays at another of the gamingmachines in the gaming system and contributes $5.00 coin-in to theprogressive award. In contrast to Player A, Player B continues to playfor the progressive award. In this example, both Player A and Player Bare eligible to win the progressive award value of $10,000. Thus, if aplayer changes games, changes gaming machines or even quits playing oneof the gaming machines in the gaming system, the player does notsacrifice their opportunity to win one or more of the progressiveawards.

In one embodiment, the amount of coin-in contributed to a designatedprogressive award by a given player is limited or capped. For example, aplayer is only able to contribute a predetermined maximum amount orpercentage of a designated progressive award. In one embodiment, after aplayer contributes the maximum amount or percentage, any coin-incontributed to the designated progressive award is applied to adifferent designated progressive award (e.g., a designated progressiveaward at a subsequent time). Such a configuration enables a player toqualify for a plurality of progressive awards at the same time (e.g.,during a single gaming session). It should be appreciated that once aplayer contributes the maximum amount or percentage to a designatedprogressive award, that player may qualify for one or more availableprogressive awards or one or more future progressive awards withsubsequent coin-in.

In one embodiment, other eligibility conditions are used to determinewhether the player qualifies for one of the progressive awards. Theeligibility conditions may supplement or replace the condition that theplayer currently plays at one of the gaming machines in the gamingsystem. As described above, a side-bet and a minimum wager levelconstitute different eligibility conditions for a player to qualify tobe selected to obtain one of the progressive awards. In variousembodiments, different eligibility conditions are predetermined,randomly determined, determined or weighted based on the player's wager,determined or weighted based on the status of one or more players (suchas determined through a player tracking system), determined based ontime, or determined based on any other suitable parameter or function.

In one embodiment, the gaming system keeps track of and stores thecoin-in of all players who have contributed to each designatedprogressive award. In such an embodiment, the gaming system selects thewinning player based on the stored coin-in of current and past players.That is, the gaming system selects a winning player from a groupincluding each player who contributed to the progressive awardregardless of when that contribution was made. This encourages playersto join a loyalty program and/or a player tracking system to remaineligible to win one or more progressive awards regardless of whether theplayers are currently playing at one of the gaming machines in thegaming system. In another embodiment, the winning player is selectedbased on the coin-in for players currently playing at one of the gamingmachines in the gaming system. In one embodiment, the winning player isselected based on the coin-in for current players in addition to thecoin in for past players. For example, all current players and a numberof past players (e.g., which may be selected based on player status asdetermined through a suitable player tracking system or some othersuitable factor) may be eligible to be selected as the winning player.

In another embodiment, a player's eligibility is determined based, atleast in part, on whether the player is registered with or identified bythe gaming system. Players may register with the gaming system at any ofthe gaming machines in the gaming system or at a remote location, suchas at an electronic kiosk. Players enter identifying information, suchas the player's name and address, and a suitable security code, such asa PIN number, via an input device associated with the gaming machine orkiosk. Such identifying information may be stored in a module of asuitable player tracking system or may be stored in any suitable storagedevice in communication with the central controller. In one embodiment,once a player is registered and identified, that player becomes eligibleto win one of the progressive awards in the gaming system.

In one embodiment, the gaming system provides a game, such as a primarygame, on each of a plurality of gaming machines. The games are operableupon a wager placed by at least one player. The central controllermaintains a progressive award, such as an accumulated value progressiveaward. The central controller determines which player to provide withthe progressive award. This determination is based on a first value ofthe progressive award. For example, the central controller determinesthe winning player of the progressive award when the progressive awardreaches a first predetermined or qualifying value, such as a playerthreshold value. In this embodiment, the central controller subsequentlydetermines when to provide the progressive award to the winning playerregardless of whether the winning player is currently playing one of thegames of one of the gaming machines. This determination is based on asecond value of the progressive award. For example, the centralcontroller determines to provide the designated progressive award to thewinning player when the progressive award reaches a second predeterminedor qualifying value, such as an award threshold value. In oneembodiment, the central controller also provides a secondary or bonusaward to the player responsible for (i.e., who placed the wager thatcaused) the progressive award reaching the player threshold value and/orthe award threshold value).

In one embodiment, the determination of when to provide the designatedprogressive award occurs prior to the determination of which player toprovide with the designated progressive award. In this embodiment, thedesignated progressive award is stored or escrowed until the winningplayer is determined. In one embodiment, the gaming system displaysinformation regarding the stored or escrowed progressive award. Thisinformation may be displayed in audio, text or video format to informthe player that the stored or escrowed progressive award will beprovided shortly, the amount of the progressive award available to bewon by the player or any other suitable information.

In one embodiment, each progressive award of the gaming system is anaccumulated value progressive award funded by a designated portion ofeach wager from each player. In this embodiment, if a first triggeringevent (i.e., a player triggering event) and a second triggering event(i.e., an award triggering event) occur, a designated progressive awardis provided to a designated player. The accumulated value progressiveaward is provided to a winning player designated via the firsttriggering event (e.g., the generation of a first designated amount ofcoin-in) when the second, different triggering event (e.g., thegeneration of a second designated amount of coin-in) occurs. In oneembodiment, the second triggering event determines the value of thedesignated progressive award. That is, the value determined by thesecond triggering event constitutes the progressive award provided tothe designated player determined by the first triggering event.

In one embodiment, a player is designated as the winning player whenthat player's coin-in causes the accumulated value progressive award toincrement to a first predetermined progressive hit value, such as aprogressive hit value of $72.60. This first progressive hit valuecorresponds to the player threshold value. For example, on a $1 wagerwith 1% allocated to the accumulated value progressive award, the7,260^(th) coin wagered (if the progressive award starts at a defaultvalue equal to $0) results in the accumulated value progressive awardreaching the player threshold value (and thus designating that player asthe winning player). Accordingly, the player triggering event occurswhen the 7,260^(th) coin is wagered.

In one embodiment, the accumulated progressive award is provided to thedesignated winning player when any player's coin-in causes theaccumulated value progressive award to increment to a secondpredetermined progressive hit value, such as a progressive hit value of$92.13. This second progressive hit value corresponds to the awardthreshold value. For example, on a $1 wager with 1% allocated to theaccumulated value progressive award, the 9,213^(th) coin wagered (if theprogressive award starts at a default value equal to $0) results in theaccumulated value progressive award reaching the award threshold value(and thus providing the accumulated value progressive award to thedesignated winning player). Accordingly, the award triggering eventoccurs when the 9,213^(th) coin is wagered and the designated winningplayer is provided with the accumulated value progressive award. In thisembodiment, the accumulated value progressive award is valued at $92.13.

In different embodiments, the coin-in is determined in any suitablemanner, such as by calculating which coin-in will cause the playerthreshold and award threshold values to change to $72.60 or $92.13,respectively, by monitoring the coin-in versus the progressive awardvalue or by calculating the coin-in value in advance based on thewagers, the player threshold and award threshold values, and thepercentage of the wagers allocated to the progressive award. In oneembodiment, the central controller keeps track of the play on eachgaming machine including at least the amount wagered by the player(s)for each play of the primary game for each gaming machine (i.e., via atotal or partial coin-in or wager meter which tracks the total orpartial coin-in wagers placed on all of the primary games for all of thegaming machines in the gaming system). In another embodiment, thecentral controller is operable with a suitable player tracking system tokeep track of the play of each player at gaming machines in the gamingsystem including at least the amount wagered for each player for eachplay of the primary game.

In one embodiment, once a first progressive award is hit, a second,subsequent progressive award is started. In one such embodiment, afterthe first progressive award is hit, players playing at one of the gamingmachines in the gaming system are more likely to win the second,subsequent progressive award than players who are no longer playing atone of the gaming machines in the gaming system. In another suchembodiment, players who contributed coin-in to the first progressiveaward are more likely to win the second, subsequent progressive awardthan players who did not contribute coin-in to the first designatedprogressive award. (i.e., players who started contributing to the secondprogressive award after the first progressive award was hit orprovided). In one embodiment, the central controller counts each coinwagered by each player as 1 coin for the first progressive award. Forthe second progressive award, the central controller counts each coinwagered by each player who played for the first progressive award as 2coins and counts each coin wagered by each player who did not play forthe first progressive award as 1 coin. In this embodiment, players whocontribute more coin-in are more likely to win the designatedprogressive award than players who contribute less coin-in. Countingeach coin as 1 coin, 2 coins or any other suitable number of coinsaffects each player's chance to win the designated progressive award.Accordingly, players are rewarded or credited for more coin-in whenthose players play for a number of progressive awards. In oneembodiment, the players are required to play for consecutive progressiveawards to have their coin-in counted in this manner.

Alternatively, a point system could be used wherein players receive onepoint for the first progressive award and two points for the secondprogressive award instead of receiving credit for one coin and twocoins, respectively, as described above. In this embodiment, the pointscorrespond to coin-in so that players who have a high number of pointshave a greater chance to win the progressive award than players who havelower numbers of points.

In one embodiment, the central controller counts each coin wagered byeach player as 5 coins for their first progressive award. When thoseplayers play for their second progressive award, the central controllercounts each coin wagered by those players as 4 coins and counts eachcoin wagered by each player who is playing for their first progressiveaward as 5 coins. As described above, players who contribute morecoin-in are more likely to win the designated progressive award thanplayers who contribute less coin-in. In this manner, the centralcontroller entices new players to play for the progressive award byincreasing those players' chance to win one of the progressive awards(e.g., by weighting their coin-in greater than the coin-in of existingplayers). Counting each coin as 1 coin, 2 coins or any other suitablenumber of coins affects each player's chance to win the designatedprogressive award. In this embodiment, new players are rewarded orcredited for more coin-in during when playing for their firstprogressive award. The central controller may weight the coin-in for anyexisting players (e.g., those who have played for at least oneprogressive award) but may do so at a lower level than new players.Accordingly, in this embodiment, new players for a designatedprogressive award (e.g., those players who have not played for anotherprogressive award) have a greater chance of winning than existingplayers when their coin-in is counted or weighted in this manner.

In the above embodiments, the central controller weights each coin ofcoin-in wagered by each player. By weighting the coin-in, the centralcontroller can reward players who play for a number of progressiveawards (e.g., by increasing those players' chance to win one of theprogressive awards) or the central controller can entice new players toplay for the progressive award (e.g., by increasing those players'chance to win one of the progressive awards).

In another embodiment, the gaming system chooses an appropriate coin-inhit value associated with the player threshold value and the awardthreshold value in any suitable manner. For example, the system randomlychooses the coin-in values, chooses the coin-in values based on aweighted parameter, chooses the coin-in values based upon a determinedsubset range, or chooses the coin-in values based on any other suitablemanner. In one embodiment, the player threshold value and the awardthreshold value are based on time or some other metric or parameterother than coin-in. For example, the player triggering event occurs at9:00 pm on a certain day and the award triggering event occurs at 9:15pm on that day.

A flowchart of an example process 200 for providing one or more playerswith an opportunity to win one or more progressive awards is illustratedin FIG. 3. In one embodiment, the process 200 is embodied in one or moresoftware programs storable in one or more memories and executable by oneor more processors. Although the process 200 is described with referenceto the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 3, it should be appreciated thatmany other methods of performing the acts associated with process 200may be used. For example, the order of many of the blocks may bechanged, and many of the blocks described may be optional.

The process 200 enables a central controller to independently andseparately determine which player will win a progressive award (i.e., awinning player) and when that progressive award will be provided to thewinning player. The process 200 begins by maintaining at least one andpreferably a plurality of progressive awards as indicated by block 202.The progressive award may be an accumulated value progressive award,which starts at an initial or default value, such as zero. Theaccumulated value progressive award increments from the initial ordefault value or is funded from wagers placed on one game or a pluralityof different games by a player on one or more gaming machines of thegaming system. The game or games of each gaming machine in the gamingsystem may be the same games or different games.

In one embodiment, the accumulated value progressive award is associatedwith a player threshold value and an award threshold value. Theaccumulated value progressive award accumulates in value or is fundedbased on the wagers placed on the games of the gaming machines. Aportion of each wager contributes to the accrual of the accumulatedvalue progressive award. The player threshold value is a predeterminedcondition or value established by the central controller at which theaccumulated value progressive award reaches a first determined amount orvalue. The award threshold is a predetermined condition or valueestablished by the central controller at which the accumulated valueprogressive award reaches a second determined amount or value. Thesepredetermined amounts are randomly selected and based on the coin-in ofthe gaming machines. As indicated by blocks 204 and 206, respectively,the central controller determines the player threshold and the awardthreshold independently and separately. In one embodiment, the playerthreshold and the award threshold values may be different types (e.g.,based on coin-in or based on time).

For example, if the player threshold and the award threshold are basedon coin-in, the central controller may determine the player threshold tobe the 5,000^(th) coin and the award threshold to be the 12,500^(th)coin. If the contribution rate is 1% for each $1.00 wagered, one pennyor $0.01 will be contributed to the progressive award for each $1.00wagered. In this example, the player threshold value is the 5,000^(th)coin wagered or when the accumulated value progressive award reaches afirst value of $50.00 (i.e., based on a contribution rate of 1% if eachcoin is one dollar and the accumulated value progressive award starts ata default value equal to $0) and the award threshold value is the12,500^(th) coin wagered or when the accumulated value progressive awardreaches a second value of $125.00 (i.e., based on a contribution rate of1% if each coin is one dollar and the accumulated value progressiveaward starts at a default value equal to $0).

The central controller monitors the wagers at the gaming machines in thegaming system as indicated by block 208. In one embodiment, the centralcontroller keeps track of the play on each gaming machine including atleast the amount wagered by the player(s) for each play of the primarygame for each gaming machine (i.e., via a total or partial coin-in orwager meter which tracks the total or partial coin-in wagers placed onall of the primary games for all of the gaming machines in the gamingsystem). It should be appreciated that the player of a gaming machinemay change during this tracking and that this tracking can beindependent of the specific player playing the gaming machine. Inanother embodiment, the central controller is operable with a suitableplayer tracking system to keep track of the play of each player atgaming machines in the gaming system including at least the amountwagered for each player for each play of the primary game. In thisembodiment, the player tracking system includes a rules module that isconfigured to keep track of the amount wagered for each player for eachplay of the primary game. The central controller communicates with therules module of the player tracking system to monitor the wagers at thegaming machines in the gaming system.

The central controller compares the amount of coin-in associated withthe progressive award from the gaming machines to the player thresholdvalue and the award threshold value determined as indicated by blocks204 and 206. When the accumulated value progressive award reaches theplayer threshold value, the central controller designates a winningplayer as indicated by block 210. That is, the winning player is chosenwhen the accumulated value progressive award accumulates to a firstdesignated amount of coin-in (i.e., the player threshold value). Forexample, when a player at one of the gaming machines in the gamingsystem who wagers the 5,000^(th) coin associated with the accumulatedvalue progressive award, the central controller designates that playeras the winning player and determines that the accumulated valueprogressive award has reached the player threshold value. If theaccumulated value progressive award does not reach the player thresholdvalue, the central controller continues to monitor the wagers at thegaming machines in the gaming system as indicated by block 208.

As indicated by block 212, when the accumulated value progressive awardreaches or increments to the award threshold value, the centralcontroller designates an amount for each progressive award. When theplayer threshold value and the award threshold value are met, thecentral controller provides the progressive award for the designatedamount to the designated winning player as indicated by block 214. Forexample, when a player at one of the gaming machines in the gamingsystem wagers the 12,500^(th) coin associated with the accumulated valueprogressive award, the central controller determines that theaccumulated value progressive award has reached the award thresholdvalue and designates the accumulated value for the progressive award(e.g., to $125 if each coin is $1, if the progressive award starts at a$0 value and if the contribution rate is 1% of each wager). It should beappreciated that the award threshold value determines, at least in part,the amount of the accumulated value progressive award. Once theaccumulated value progressive award reaches the award threshold value,the amount of the accumulated value progressive award is set and a newprogressive award begins to accumulate. If the accumulated valueprogressive award does not reach the player threshold value, the centralcontroller continues to monitor the wagers at the gaming machines in thegaming system as indicated by block 208.

After the accumulated value progressive award reaches the playerthreshold value and the award threshold value, the central controllerprovides the progressive award to the winning player. As described ingreater detail below, if the winning player has not been designated(i.e., the player threshold value has not been met), the centralcontroller stores the progressive award (or causes the progressive awardto be stored) until the winning player is designated. In one embodiment,when the winning player is designated, the central controller causes theaccumulated value progressive award to be provided to the winning playerwhen the award threshold value is met. In another embodiment, thecentral controller causes a notification to be sent to the winningplayer of the won progressive award and provides the winning player withthe won progressive award at a later time, such as in a subsequentgaming session.

It should be appreciated that after the central controller causes theaccumulated value progressive award to be provided to the winningplayer, the central controller resets the progressive award and anotherprogressive award starts incrementing from a second progressive awardvalue or level. In one embodiment, if the award threshold value is lessthan the player threshold value (i.e., the progressive award isdetermined to be provided or stored prior to a winning player beingdesignated), the second progressive award is displayed to the player inassociation with appropriate messaging to inform the players that theaccumulated value progressive award has been determined, but not yetprovided to a winning player.

FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart of an example process 220 to store orescrow the progressive award and/or information associated with thewinning player. As described above, the central controller monitors thewagers at the gaming machines in the gaming system and determineswhether the player threshold value and/or the award threshold value ismet. In this embodiment, the central controller determines whether theplayer threshold value is met as indicated by block 224 prior todetermining whether the award threshold value is met as indicated byblock 226. It should be appreciated that these determinations may bemade sequentially in any order, simultaneously or substantiallysimultaneously.

As illustrated, if the accumulated value progressive award has notreached the player threshold value, the central controller determineswhether the award threshold value is met as indicated by block 226. Ifthe award threshold value is met, i.e., the accumulated valueprogressive award reaches the award threshold value, the centralcontroller stores the progressive award (or causes the progressive awardto be stored) until the player threshold value is met (i.e., theaccumulated value progressive award reaches the player threshold value)as indicated by block 228. If the award threshold value is not met, thecentral controller continues to monitor the wagers at the gamingmachines in the gaming system as indicated by block 208.

If the central controller determines that the player threshold value ismet, the central controller designates the winning player as indicatedby block 230. In one embodiment, the central controller causes nonotification of this designation to be sent to the winning player untilthe award triggering event occurs. Alternatively, the central controllercauses a notification to be sent to the winning player of thisdesignation. Such notification may include appropriate messaging sent tothe gaming machine at which the winning player is playing, such as anysuitable audio, text or visual message.

After the winning player is designated, the central controllerdetermines whether the award threshold value is met as indicated byblock 232. If the central controller determines that the award thresholdvalue is not met, the central controller stores information, such as acontact information including a name, a physical address, a phone numberand an e-mail address, associated with the winning player, until theaward threshold value is met as indicated by block 234. In oneembodiment, the central controller in conjunction with a player trackingsystem (i.e., the rules module) stores the information associated withthe designated winning player. In such an embodiment, the player'sprofile or player tracking card is enabled to access this storedinformation from the player tracking system. Alternatively, the centralcontroller may request the player to input such information through oneof the input devices associated with the gaming machine.

After storing the information associated with the winning player, thecentral controller continues to monitor the wagers at the gamingmachines in the gaming system and determine whether the award thresholdvalue is met as indicated by blocks 208 and 232.

If the central controller determines that the award threshold value ismet, the central controller causes a notification to be sent to thewinning player of the progressive award win as indicated by block 234.In one embodiment, the winning player is notified of the progressiveaward win through appropriate messaging sent to the gaming machine atwhich the winning player is playing. If the player is no longer playingat a gaming machine in the gaming system, the winning player is notifiedin another manner, such as through contact information in associationwith the player tracking system or via an internet website. The internetwebsite may be associated with the casino or gaming establishment atwhich the winning player was playing the gaming machine. Alternatively,the internet website may be associated with the manufacturer of thegaming machine or another suitable third-party. Such notification mayinclude the amount of the progressive award won by the winning player,the date on which the progressive award was won and the casino or gamingestablishment where the winning player won the progressive award as wellas any promotional information, advertisements or other suitableinformation. In one embodiment, the notification includes an expirationof the progressive award, such as how many days the progressive award isavailable to be claimed. It should be appreciated that the expirationmay be any suitable length of time and may occur at any suitable time.

As indicated by block 238, the central controller causes the progressiveaward to be provided to the winning player. As illustrated, the winningplayer is sent notification of the progressive award win as indicated byblock 236 prior to being provided the progressive award. In differentembodiments, the winning player is not sent such notification and/or theprogressive award is provided to the winning player prior to suchnotification, if any.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, appropriate notification messages such as “YOUHAVE WON AN ACCUMULATED VALUE PROGRESSIVE AWARD OF $1000.00! THISACCUMULATED VALUE PROGRESSIVE AWARD IS AVAILABLE TO BE CLAIMED AT CASINOA. THIS ACCUMULATED VALUE PROGRESSIVE AWARD IS AVAILABLE FOR 365 MOREDAYS.” may be provided to the player. Such notification messages may beaudio, text and/or visual messages sent to the winning player.

After the winning player is notified, the central controller providesthe progressive award to the winning player as indicated by block 238.In one embodiment, if the player is playing at one of the gamingmachines in the gaming system, the central controller causes that gamingmachine to provide the winning player with the progressive award. Inanother embodiment, if the player is not playing at one of the gamingmachines in the gaming system, the central controller may provide theprogressive award to the winning player in conjunction with a playertracking system, such as via a player tracking card or other suitablemanner. Alternatively, the central controller provides the progressiveaward to the winning player in conjunction with the casino or gamingestablishment, such as through a cashier or any other suitabledepartment of the casino.

In one embodiment, if the designated progressive award is not claimed bythe winning player, the central controller may pick another winningplayer to win that designated progressive award. In one embodiment, thecentral controller causes a second player threshold value to bedetermined. In one such embodiment, another winning player is selectedupon the designated progressive award reaching the second playerthreshold value. Alternatively, an unclaimed progressive award could beadded to one or more designated progressive awards. For example, apreviously designated progressive award may remain unclaimed by one ormore winning players for a designated amount of time. If the designatedamount of time expires, the central controller either provides theunclaimed progressive award to a different player (e.g., the player whocontributes the coin which caused the second player threshold to be met)or adds the unclaimed progressive award to a different designatedprogressive award to increase that different designated progressiveaward.

In another embodiment, at least one designated progressive award isassociated with a plurality of player threshold values and/or awardthreshold values. The player threshold values and/or award thresholdvalues may be based on coin-in, time or another suitable metric. In onesuch embodiment, a designated progressive award is associated with aplurality of player threshold values based on coin-in. If a playercontributes a coin that causes the designated progressive award to reachone of the player threshold values, that player is qualified toparticipate in a group gaming environment. In one embodiment, aplurality of players at a plurality of the gaming machines in the gamingsystem work in conjunction with one another, such as playing together asa team or group, to win the designated progressive award. For example,once a plurality of the players are separated into teams or groups, thecentral controller monitors subsequent wagers by each player of eachteam or group at the gaming machines in the gaming system. If one of thewagers causes the designated progressive award to reach an associatedaward threshold value, the team or group of the player who placed thatwager wins the designated progressive award. In one such embodiment, anydesignated progressive award won by the group is shared, either equallyor based on any suitable criteria, amongst the different players of thegroup. Alternatively, if a player contributes the coin that causes thedesignated progressive award to reach one of the player thresholdvalues, that player competes against at least one other player (i.e.,another player who contributed a coin that caused the designatedprogressive award to reach one of the player threshold values) for thedesignated progressive award.

FIG. 6 illustrates a timeline 300 showing one embodiment of differentand independent triggering events for a progressive award available tobe provided to a player in the gaming system. In this embodiment, afirst triggering event 304, such as a player triggering event, occurswhen the progressive award reaches a player threshold or player triggervalue and a second triggering event 308, such as an award triggeringevent, occurs when the progressive award reaches an award threshold oraward trigger value. The central controller monitors the wagers at thegaming machines in the gaming system during an accumulation period forthe progressive award and determines whether the player triggering eventand/or the award triggering event occurs.

The gaming system maintains at least one progressive award, which may bean accumulated value progressive award. The progressive award starts atan initial or default value, such as zero, and increments from theinitial or default value or is funded based on wagers made by theplayers at the gaming machines in the gaming system. The accumulatedvalue progressive award continues to increment during an accumulatedvalue progressive award accumulation period, which may be set to anylength determined by the gaming system operator. To be eligible to winthe accumulated value progressive award, in this embodiment, one of theplayers at one of the gaming machines places a wager during theaccumulation period. As illustrated, Players A and B place wagers atrespective gaming machines 302. A determined amount, such as an amountranging from 0.001% to 10%, of the wager is contributed to theaccumulated value progressive award. For example, if the contributionrate is 1% for each $1.00 wagered, one penny or $0.01 will becontributed to the progressive award for each $1.00 wagered. In thisexample, the player threshold value is the 5,000^(th) coin or when theaccumulated value progressive award reaches $50.00 (i.e., based on acontribution rate of 1% if each coin is one dollar and the accumulatedvalue progressive award starts at a default value equal to $0) and theaward threshold value is the 12,500^(th) coin or when the accumulatedvalue progressive award reaches $125.00 (i.e., based on a contributionrate of 1% if each coin is one dollar and the accumulated valueprogressive award starts at a default value equal to $0).

In one embodiment, if either Player A or Player B leaves the gamingsystem (e.g., stops playing at one of the gaming devices, changes gamingdevices or cannot be located at another gaming machine in the gamingsystem) prior to the accumulated value progressive award reaching theplayer threshold value, that player remains eligible for the accumulatedvalue progressive award since Players A and B contributed to the accrualof the accumulated value progressive award. As illustrated, the playertriggering event 304 occurs when the accumulated value progressive awardincrements to or reaches the player threshold value, such as 5,000 coinsor $50.00. For example, on a $1 wager with 1% allocated to theaccumulated value progressive award which hits at $50.00, the 5,000^(th)coin wagered (i.e., based on a contribution rate of 1% if each coin isone dollar and the accumulated value progressive award starts at adefault value equal to $0) results in the accumulated value progressiveaward reaching the player threshold (and thus designating a winningplayer).

In one embodiment, Player A and Player B are sent notification of whichplayer the central controller designated as the winning player.Alternatively, no such notification is sent to the players. For example,the central controller determined to designate Player A as the winningplayer. As illustrated, Players A and B left the gaming system afterthis designation. Accordingly, Players A and B may or may not be awarethat a winning player has been designated.

After the player triggering event 304 occurs, the accumulated valueprogressive award continues to increment or increase based on coin-in.In one embodiment, only players currently playing at one of the gamingdevices when the player triggering event 304 occurs are eligible for theaccumulated value progressive award. That is, the eligibility is closedto players who were not playing at one of the gaming devices when theplayer triggering event 304 occurs. As illustrated, Players A and Bleave the gaming system 306 (or cannot be located at a gaming machine inthe gaming system) after the player triggering event 304 occurs andprior to the award triggering event 308. Although the winning player hasbeen designated, it should be appreciated that Player B is eligible forthe accumulated value progressive award since Player B contributed tothe accrual of the accumulated value progressive award.

When a player of one of the gaming machines of the gaming systemcontributes the coin that causes the accumulated value progressive awardto increment to $125.00 or the 12,500^(th) coin, the award triggeringevent 308 occurs. Upon the occurrence of the award triggering event 308,the central controller determines the amount of the accumulated valueprogressive award (e.g., $125.00) and provides the accumulated valueprogressive award to the winning player. Since the progressive awardaccumulated to 12,500 coins, the central controller provides the winningplayer with the progressive award of $125.00.

Player A either left the gaming system or cannot be located at anothergaming machine in the gaming system 306. The accumulated valueprogressive award, such as a progressive award amount of $125.00, isprovided to Player A (i.e., the designated winning player). After theaward triggering event, the designated winning player is sentnotification of winning the designated progressive award 310.Accordingly, Player A is sent notification of winning the designatedprogressive award in any suitable format, such as through e-mail or viaan internet website. In one embodiment, Player A is required to returnto the gaming establishment or casino where the accumulated valueprogressive award was won to claim the won accumulated value progressiveaward.

In this embodiment, the occurrence of the player triggering event 304 isprior to the occurrence of the award triggering event 308 and theprogressive award is provided to the designated winning player. Itshould be appreciated that selecting a winning player for a progressiveaward that is still being contributed to or accumulated reduces jackpotfatigue because the value of the progressive award when the winningplayer is designated (e.g., after the 5,000^(th) coin is wagered) has nobearing on a final value of that progressive award when that sameprogressive award is provided to the winning player (e.g., after the12,500^(th) coin is wagered).

FIG. 7 illustrates a chart 400 showing different and independenttriggering events for a progressive award available to be provided to awinning player. As illustrated in FIG. 7, chart 400 shows that Players Aand B place wagers at gaming machines in the gaming system 402. Chart400 also shows that an award triggering event 404 can occur before aplayer triggering event 406. The player threshold value of 10,000 coinsis greater than the award threshold value of 3,500 coins. Accordingly,the occurrence of the award triggering event 404 is prior to theoccurrence of the player triggering event 406 and the central controllerdesignates the winning player after determining to provide theaccumulated value progressive award.

In one embodiment, the central controller stores or escrows theaccumulated value progressive award until a winning player isdetermined. The accumulated value progressive award may be stored for apredetermined length of time or until the winning player claims theaward. Alternatively, the accumulated value progressive award is storedfor a predetermined length of time before being provided to the winningplayer. In one embodiment, any progressive award not claimed in apredetermined amount of time are provided back to the gaming system tobe awarded as a new progressive award to a new winning player.

In one alternative embodiment, the central controller randomlydetermines a plurality of different player and/or award triggeringevents for each accumulated value progressive award. For example, afirst player threshold value is determined to be 5,000 coins and asecond player threshold value is determined to be 10,000 coins. In thisexample, an award threshold value is determined to be 15,000 coins. Theaward threshold value of 15,000 coins is greater than the first andsecond player threshold values of 5,000 and 10,000, respectively.Accordingly, the award triggering event occurs after the occurrence ofboth player triggering events. In this embodiment, if the player whowagered the 5,000^(th) coin is unable or does not claim the accumulatedvalue progressive award, the central controller offers the accumulatedvalue progressive award to the player who wagered the 10,000^(th) coin.In one embodiment, if the player who wagered the 5,000^(th) coin claimsor is provided with the accumulated value progressive award, the centralcontroller provides a secondary award to the player who wagered the10,000^(th) coin. In various embodiments, the players who wagered the5,000^(th) and 10,000^(th) coins are provided a group gaming event,wherein the players either cooperate to play for a designatedprogressive award or compete for a designated progressive award.

FIG. 8 illustrates a chart 500 showing different and independenttriggering events for a plurality of progressive awards available to beprovided to a player in the gaming system. In this embodiment, eachprogressive award is associated with a player triggering event and anaward triggering event. Players A and B place wagers at gaming machinesin the gaming system 502. For a first progressive award, a first playertriggering event 504 occurs when a first progressive award increments toor reaches a first player threshold or player trigger value of 3,500coins. A first award triggering event 506 associated with the firstprogressive award occurs when the first progressive award increments toor reaches a first award threshold or award trigger value of 6,000coins. As described above, the winning player is designated prior to thedetermination to provide the first progressive award. Accordingly, whenthe first progressive award increments to $60.00 (i.e., based on acontribution rate of 1% if each coin is one dollar and the firstprogressive award starts at a default value equal to $0), the firstprogressive award is provided to the winning player who wagered orcontributed the 3,500^(th) coin associated with the first progressiveaward. For a second progressive award, a second player triggering event510 occurs when the second progressive award increments to or reaches asecond player threshold or player trigger value of 12,000 coins. Asecond award triggering event 508 associated with the second progressiveaward occurs when the second progressive award increments to or reachesa second award threshold or award trigger value of 8,500 coins. Asdescribed above, the progressive award is determined to be providedprior to the winning player being designated. Accordingly, when thesecond progressive award increments to $120.00 (i.e., based on acontribution rate of 1% if each coin is one dollar and the secondprogressive award starts at a default value equal to $0), the secondprogressive award having a value of $85.00 (i.e., based on acontribution rate of 1% if each coin is one dollar and the secondprogressive award starts at a default value equal to $0) is provided tothe designated winning player. The central controller monitors thewagers at the gaming machines in the gaming system during anaccumulation period for each progressive award and determines whetherthe player triggering event and/or award triggering event occurs foreach progressive award.

In one embodiment, the player triggering event and the award triggeringevent are each associated with a separate range of values. The range ofvalues defines the minimum value and the maximum value of theaccumulated value progressive award associated with the playertriggering event and the award triggering event. In this embodiment,when an accumulated value progressive award increments or increases to afirst accumulated value progressive award hit value, such as a playerthreshold value, within the range of values associated with the playertriggering event, the gaming system designates the player whose coin-inmatched the accumulated value progressive award hit value or the playerthreshold value as the selected winning player. For example, the playertriggering event is associated with a range of $10 to $100 for theaccumulated value progressive award. In this example, the playertriggering event will occur and a winning player is designated when thevalue of the accumulated value progressive award increments to a playerthreshold value between $10 and $100.

When an accumulated value progressive award increments or increases to asecond accumulated value progressive award hit value, such as an awardthreshold value, within the range of values associated with the awardtriggering event, the gaming system determines to provide theaccumulated value progressive award to the designated winning player orcauses the accumulated value progressive award to be stored until thewinning player is designated. For example, the award triggering event isassociated with a range of $200 to $300 of the accumulated valueprogressive award. In this example, the award triggering event willoccur when the value of the accumulated value progressive awardincrements to an award threshold value between $200 and $300.

Based on the above examples, the accumulated value progressive awardstarts at a default value, such as $0 or other higher designated startup value, and increments based on wagers made by players at the gamingmachines in the gaming system. The player triggering event is associatedwith a range of $10 to $100 and the award triggering event is associatedwith a range of $200 to $300 for the accumulated value progressiveaward. The player threshold value may be any value in the rangeassociated with the player triggering event (e.g., $10 and $100).Similarly, the award threshold value may be any value in the rangeassociated with the award triggering event (e.g., $200 and $300). Theaccumulated value progressive award continues to increment. If theplayer threshold value is $75, a winning player is designated when thevalue of the accumulated value progressive award increments to $75. Thecentral controller stores the winning player (e.g., in association witha player tracking system) until the accumulated value progressive awardincrements to the award threshold value. If the award threshold value is$225, the winning player is provided the accumulated value progressiveaward when the value of the accumulated value progressive awardincrements to $225. In one embodiment, after the winning player isprovided the accumulated value progressive award, a new accumulatedvalue progressive award is started.

It should be appreciated that the ranges of the player and awardthreshold values may overlap. In such cases, when an accumulated valueprogressive award increments or increases to an accumulated valueprogressive award hit value within the range of values associated withthe player triggering event and the award triggering event, the gamingsystem designates a winning player and, at a subsequent time, providesthe accumulated value progressive award to the designated winningplayer. The designated winning player may be notified of the win viaaudio, text or visual based messages.

In one embodiment, the player and award triggering events are associatedwith different value ranges. In another embodiment, the player and awardtriggering events are associated with the same value range. In differentembodiments, the player threshold value and the award threshold value(and/or the respective value ranges) are predetermined, randomlydetermined, determined based on the wagers placed in the gaming system,determined based on the status of one or more players (such asdetermined through a player tracking system), determined based on time,or determined based on any other suitable method.

For example, if the award triggering event occurs after the 5,000^(th)coin, the player triggering event may occur at a predetermined time,such as 15 minutes, after the award triggering event occurs. In thisexample, the winning player is designated 15 minutes before the amountof the accumulated value progressive award is determined. After thisdetermination, the accumulated value progressive award is provided tothe designated winning player. The value of the accumulated valueprogressive award is reset to a default value and starts incrementingfrom the default progressive award level. It should be appreciated thatalthough the accumulated value progressive award is reset to anappropriate progressive award level, other remaining progressive awardsare not reset or otherwise affected by the triggering of the accumulatedvalue progressive award. As illustrated in FIG. 9, appropriate messagessuch as “AN ACCUMULATED VALUE PROGRESSIVE AWARD OF $1000.00 HAS BEENWON! THIS ACCUMULATED VALUE PROGRESSIVE AWARD HAS NO WINNER! THE WINNERWILL BE SELECTED IN THE NEXT 15 MINUTES!” may be provided to the playervisually on the display device 16 of one of the gaming machines in thegaming system. Such messages may also be provided to the player throughanother display device, such as display device 18 or an overhead displayshared by a plurality of gaming machines, or through suitable audio oraudiovisual outputs.

By informing the player that a progressive award has hit or has beendetermined to be provided to a winning player, as well as otherpertinent statistics, players will be more likely to feverishly play inhopes of winning the prize. If the player does not know what thismaximum is, they may have no motivation to stay or play at a fasterrate. Accordingly, in one embodiment, a metering and/or informationdisplay device may be used to display information regarding thedifferent accumulated value progressive awards and/or the differentplayer and award threshold values.

In additional embodiments wherein the controller knows when theprogressive award is going to hit based on the selected parameters, suchas coin-in, time or any other suitable predetermined metric, the gamingdevice/gaming system displays additional information to the playerregarding the potential, upcoming accumulated value progressive award.By giving the player clues or hints as to when the progressive will hit,the player is encouraged to play the gaming device at a faster pace ifthe player knows that the selected winner is based on the coin-in.

In one embodiment, the gaming device displays information relating toone, more or each of the accumulated value progressive awards disclosedherein. Such displayed information provides the player with the abilityto make decisions as to the rate they wish to play. With a plurality ofdisplayed meters offering information to the current status of aplurality of accumulated value progressive awards, the player isprovided an increased feeling of excitement about their chances ofwinning one or more of the progressive awards.

In one alternative embodiment, the central controller provides at leastone game, such as a primary game, that is operable upon a wager placedby at least one player. The central controller maintains at least oneprogressive award, such as one or more accumulated value progressiveawards. The central controller determines which player to provide with adesignated one of the progressive awards (i.e., a player triggeringevent). This determination is based on a first time value, such as 9:01am (i.e., at a player threshold value). For example, the centralcontroller determines the winning player of the designated progressiveaward when time reaches 9:01 am. In this embodiment, the centralcontroller also determines when to provide the progressive award to awinning player (i.e., an award triggering event). This determination isbased on a second time value, such as 9:10 am (i.e., an award thresholdvalue). For example, the central controller determines to provide thedesignated progressive award to a winning player when time reaches 9:10am.

It should be appreciated that triggering events based on coin-in values,such as a Nth coin, and triggering events based on time, such as a Nthtime, constitute different types of triggering events. In differentembodiments disclosed herein, the same type of or different types oftriggering events may be used to determine the winning player and whento provide the progressive award to the winning player. For example, thedetermination of a winning player is associated with a first type oftriggering event (e.g., based on coin-in) and the determination of whento provide the progressive award to a winning player is associated witha second type of triggering event (e.g., based on time).

In one embodiment, a plurality of the gaming devices are connectedtogether through a wide area network (WAN). The WAN may include anoff-site central server or controller and an off-site gaming devicelocated within gaming establishments in the same geographic area, suchas a city or state. In this embodiment, the central controllerdetermines a designated progressive award, a designated location wherethe designated progressive award will be won, which player at thedesignated location to provide with the designated progressive award. Inthis embodiment, the location is determined when the progressive awardreaches a first value, such as a designated coin-in value (e.g.,7,200^(th) coin) or a designated time value (e.g., 3:00 pm). The winningplayer is determined when the progressive award reaches a second value,such as a designated coin-in value (e.g., 7,600^(th) coin) or adesignated time value (e.g., 3:20 pm). The progressive award is providedor stored when the progressive award reaches a third value, such as adesignated coin-in value (e.g., 8,000^(th) coin) or a designated timevalue (e.g., 3:40 pm). For example, the central controller determinesthe designated location and subsequently determines the designatedwinning player and when to provide the designated progressive award. Thecentral controller may determine the designated winning player and whento provide the designated progressive award in any order.

In one embodiment, the gaming system enables any player who contributedto an accrual of a designated progressive award during a designated timeperiod to win that progressive award. For example, the designatedprogressive award is accrued or accumulated during a seven day period(i.e., the designated progressive award has a seven day accumulationperiod). In this example, the designated progressive award is determinedto be provided to a designated winning player on the seventh day (i.e.,the award triggering event occurs on the seventh day of the accumulationperiod). If a player arrives at a gaming establishment on the second dayof the accumulation period. The player wagers on one or more games ofone or more of the gaming machines of the gaming system in an attempt towin the designated progressive award. The player leaves the gamingestablishment on the fifth day of the accumulation period. In thisexample, if the player triggering event occurs sometime between thesecond day and the fifth day, the player is eligible to win thedesignated progressive award. Since the amount of the designatedprogressive award is determined after the player leaves the gamingestablishment, the gaming system causes a notification to be sent to theplayer. This notification informs the player of which designatedprogressive award won and the amount of that progressive award. Asdisclosed herein, the notification may be provided in any suitableformat, such as via e-mail, via an electronic kiosk or via an internetwebsite. It should be appreciated that the player triggering eventand/or the award triggering event may occur at any time during theaccumulation period and that one or more players may contribute to theaccrual of the designated progressive award during any portion of thedesignated time period to be eligible to win that progressive award.

In one embodiment, the central controller selects the winning playerfrom a group of players based, at least in part, on coin-in or time asdescribed above, and based on at least one other factor, such as thestatus of a player. In such an embodiment, players who contribute to adesignated progressive award may be grouped based on the amount ofcoin-in contributed to the progressive award and the winning player maybe selected from the group based on status (as determined by a playertracking system). It should be appreciated that the gaming systemselects the winning player based on a random determination, based on aweighted parameter, based upon a designated group, or based on any othersuitable factor.

In one embodiment, different gaming devices in the gaming system havedifferent progressive awards available to the player. In one suchembodiment, different gaming devices are associated with differentprogressive awards based on a current configuration of the gamingsystem. In one embodiment, zero, one or more progressive awards may beassociated with each of the gaming devices in the gaming system whilezero, one or more different progressive awards may be associated with aplurality of, but not all of the gaming devices in the gaming system.For example, both a first set of gaming devices and a second, differentset of gaming devices may be associated with a first accumulatedprogressive award, but the first set of gaming devices is alsoassociated with a second accumulated value progressive award (which thesecond set of gaming devices is not).

In one embodiment, a gaming machine or bank of gaming machines may besimultaneously associated with a plurality of progressive awards. Inthese multi-level progressive (“MLP”) configurations, a plurality ofprogressive awards start at different award or value levels, such as$10, $100, $1000 and $10,000 and each individually increment or increaseuntil provided to a player. Upon a suitable triggering event at one ofmore of the gaming devices associated with the MLP, one or more of theprogressive awards which form the MLP are provided to one or more of theplayers at such gaming devices. In one embodiment, each eligible playeris eligible for one, a plurality of or each progressive award level ofthe MLP. Alternatively, separate eligibility conditions are associatedwith each progressive award level of the MLP.

In one embodiment, at least two of the progressive awards that form theMLP are associated with different types of triggering events (e.g.,triggering events based on coin-in or triggering events based on time).In another embodiment, at least two of the progressive awards that formthe MLP are associated with different triggering events (e.g., differentcoin-in values or time values). In one such embodiment, a firstprogressive award in the MLP is associated with a short term triggeringevent and a second progressive award in the MLP is associated with along term triggering event. The short term triggering event occurs morefrequently than the long term triggering event. Thus, one or more of theprogressive awards in the MLP may be provided frequently (e.g., such asthose with a low value) while one or more of the progressive awards inthe MLP may be provided infrequently (e.g., such as those with a highvalue).

In one embodiment, different progressive awards are associated withdifferent gaming machines or different numbers of gaming machines. Forexample, a progressive award valued at $10,000 may be associated withten gaming devices while another progressive award valued at $500,000may be associated with one-hundred gaming devices. In one embodiment,the multiple gaming machines may be in the same bank of machines, in thesame casino or gaming establishment (such as through LAN), or in two ormore different casinos or gaming establishments (such as through a WAN).For example, players from the multiple gaming machines may play for thesame progressive award, wherein the determination of the winning playerand when to provide the progressive award can occur in association withany of the gaming machines. In such an embodiment, the centralcontroller considers the coin-in from the multiple gaming machines fromthe same or the different casinos or gaming establishments to determinewhether the progressive award reaches the player threshold value and theaward threshold value.

In another embodiment, each individual gaming machine maintains one ormore progressive awards wherein a portion of the wagers placed at thatrespective gaming machine is allocated to one or more progressive awardsmaintained by such individual gaming machine. For example, a winningplayer is designated from an individual gaming machine to win aprogressive award associated with that gaming machine. In such anembodiment, the central controller only considers the coin-in from theindividual gaming machine to determine whether the progressive awardreaches the player threshold value and the award threshold value. Forexample, the individual gaming machine processor and/or the centralcontroller records the wagers for each player who played at a gamingmachine during a designated period of time, such as during a bonusqualification period. The individual gaming machine processor and/or thecentral controller is operable to designate which of the players toprovide with the progressive award when the progressive award reachesthe player threshold value. The individual gaming machine processorand/or the central controller is operable to determine when to providethe progressive award to one of the players who played the primary gameof the gaming device when the progressive award reaches the awardthreshold value. In one embodiment, the player threshold value is lessthan the award threshold value so that a winning player is designatedprior to the progressive award being provided. In an alternativeembodiment, each individual gaming machine maintains one or moreprogressive awards and the central server simultaneously orsubstantially simultaneously maintains one or more progressive awards.It should be appreciated that any suitable configuration of maintainingone, more or each of the progressive awards may be implemented inaccordance with the gaming device and/or gaming system disclosed herein.

It should be understood that various changes and modifications to thepresently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent tothose skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention andwithout diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intendedthat such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.

1. A gaming system comprising: a central controller; a plurality ofgaming machines, each gaming machine including: (a) a primary gameoperable upon a wager by a player, (b) at least one display deviceconfigured to display the primary game, and (c) a processor operable tocommunicate with the central controller; and a progressive awardmaintained by the central controller, the progressive award associatedwith a first triggering event and a second triggering event, the secondtriggering event being different than the first triggering event,wherein the central controller is programmed to: (i) designate one ofthe players of one of the gaming machines as a winning player when thefirst triggering event occurs while the player is playing one of theprimary games of one of the gaming machines, and (ii) cause theprogressive award to be provided to the winning player when the secondtriggering event occurs regardless of whether the winning player isplaying one of the gaming machines.
 2. The gaming system of claim 1,wherein the progressive award is funded, at least in part, based on thewagers placed on the primary games of the gaming machines.
 3. The gamingsystem of claim 1, wherein the first and second triggering events aredifferent types of triggering events.
 4. The gaming system of claim 1,wherein the progressive award is an accumulated value progressive awardassociated with a player threshold value and an award threshold value.5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the first triggering eventoccurs if the accumulated value progressive award reaches the playerthreshold value.
 6. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the secondtriggering event occurs if the accumulated value progressive awardreaches the award threshold value.
 7. The gaming system of claim 4,wherein the player threshold value is less than or equal to the awardthreshold value.
 8. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the playerthreshold value is associated with a range of values which define aminimum value and a maximum value of the accumulated value progressiveaward.
 9. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the award thresholdvalue is associated with a range of values which define a minimum valueand a maximum value of the accumulated value progressive award.
 10. Thegaming system of claim 1, wherein the central controller is programmedto store information associated with the winning player prior to thesecond triggering event.
 11. The gaming system of claim 10, whichincludes a player tracking system operable with the central controllerto store the information associated with the winning player.
 12. Thegaming system of claim 1, wherein the central controller causes anotification to be sent to the winning player of at least one of: (a)being designated as the winning player; and (b) being provided theprogressive award.
 13. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the secondtriggering event occurs independently of the first triggering event. 14.A gaming device operable under control of a processor, the gaming devicecomprising: a primary game, each play of the primary game operable upona wager placed by a player; a display device operable to display eachplay of the primary game; and a progressive award maintained by theprocessor, wherein the processor is programmed to: record the wagers forone or more players during a designated period of time, designate whichof the players to provide with the progressive award, wherein thedesignation occurs when the progressive award has a first value,determine when to provide the progressive award to one of the playerswho played the primary game, wherein the determination occurs when theprogressive award has a different, second value, and provide theprogressive award to the designated player or players.
 15. The gamingdevice of claim 14, wherein the progressive award is funded, at least inpart, based on the wagers placed on the primary game.
 16. The gamingdevice of claim 14, wherein the progressive award increments to thefirst value before incrementing to the second value.
 17. The gamingdevice of claim 14, wherein the progressive award is an accumulatedvalue progressive award associated with a first triggering event and adifferent, second triggering event.
 18. The gaming device of claim 17,wherein the first triggering event occurs if the accumulated valueprogressive award increments to the first value.
 19. The gaming deviceof claim 17, wherein the second triggering event occurs if theaccumulated value progressive award increments to the second value. 20.The gaming device of claim 17, wherein the second triggering eventoccurs independently of the first triggering event.
 21. The gamingdevice of claim 17, wherein the first triggering event occurs prior tothe second triggering event.
 22. The gaming device of claim 14, whereineach player who contributed to the progressive award prior to theprogressive award incrementing to the second value is eligible to winthe progressive award.
 23. The gaming device of claim 14, wherein thedesignated player is the player who places the wager on the primary gamethat causes the progressive award to increment to the first value.
 24. Agaming system comprising: a central controller; a plurality of gamingmachines in communication with the central controller, each gamingmachine including a primary game operable upon a wager placed by aplayer; a progressive award maintained by the central controller; afirst determination of which player to provide with the progressiveaward while the player is playing one of the primary games of one of thegaming machines, wherein upon the occurrence of the first determination,the progressive award has a first value; a second subsequentdetermination of when to provide the progressive award to the playerregardless of whether the player is playing one of the primary games ofone of the gaming machines, wherein upon the occurrence of the seconddetermination, the progressive award has a different second value; andthe central controller causing the progressive award to be provided tothe player determined by the first determination.
 25. The gaming deviceof claim 24, wherein the progressive award is funded, at least in part,based on the wagers placed on the primary game.
 26. The gaming device ofclaim 24, wherein the progressive award increments to the first valuebefore incrementing to the second value.
 27. The gaming device of claim24, wherein the first determination occurs independently of the secondsubsequent determination.
 28. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein thesecond value is greater than the first value.
 29. A method of operatinga gaming system including a plurality of gaming machines, the methodcomprising: (a) providing a primary game on each gaming machine, theprimary game operable upon a wager placed by a player; (b) maintaining aprogressive award; (c) associating the progressive award with a firsttriggering event; (d) designating the player of one of the gamingmachines as a winning player while the player is playing one of theprimary games of the gaming machine when the first triggering eventoccurs; and (e) providing the progressive award to the winning playerwhen a second triggering event occurs regardless of whether the winningplayer is player one of the primary games on one of the gaming machines,wherein the first triggering event is different than and occurssubsequent to the second triggering event.
 30. The method of claim 29,which includes funding, at least in part, the progressive award based onthe wagers placed on the primary games of the gaming machines.
 31. Themethod of claim 29, wherein the progressive award is an accumulatedvalue progressive award associated with a player threshold value and anaward threshold value.
 32. The method of claim 31, which includescausing the first triggering event to occur if the accumulated valueprogressive award reaches the player threshold value.
 33. The method ofclaim 31, which includes causing the second triggering event to occur ifthe accumulated value progressive award reaches the award thresholdvalue.
 34. The method of claim 31, which includes associating the playerthreshold value with a range of values which define a minimum value anda maximum value of the accumulated value progressive award.
 35. Themethod of claim 31, which includes associating the award threshold valuewith a range of values which define a minimum value and a maximum valueof the accumulated value progressive award.
 36. The method of claim 29,which includes storing information associated with the winning playerprior to the second triggering event.
 37. The method of claim 36, whichincludes storing the information associated with the winning player inassociation with a player tracking system.
 38. The method of claim 29,which includes causing a notification to be sent to the winning playerof at least one of: (a) being designated as the winning player; and (b)being provided the progressive award.
 39. The method of claim 29,wherein the player threshold value is less than or equal to the awardthreshold value.
 40. The method of claim 29, which includes causing thesecond triggering event to occur independently of the first triggeringevent.
 41. The method of claim 29, wherein the first and secondtriggering events are different types of triggering events.
 42. Themethod of claim 29, which includes operating the gaming system through adata network.
 43. The method of claim 42, wherein the data network is aninternet.
 44. A method of operating a gaming device operable undercontrol of a processor, the method comprising: (a) providing a primarygame, each play of the primary game operable upon a wager placed by aplayer; (b) displaying each play of the primary game; (c) maintaining aprogressive award; (d) recording the wagers for one or more playersduring a designated period of time; (e) designating which of the playersto provide with the progressive award, wherein the designation occurswhen the progressive award has a first value; (f) determining when toprovide the progressive award to one of the players who played theprimary game, wherein the determination occurs when the progressiveaward has a different, second value; and (g) providing the progressiveaward to the designated player or players.
 45. The method of claim 44,which includes funding, at least in part, the progressive award based onthe wagers placed on the primary games.
 46. The method of claim 44,wherein the progressive award is an accumulated value progressive awardassociated with a first triggering event and a different, secondtriggering event.
 47. The method of claim 46, which includes causing thefirst triggering event to occur if the accumulated value progressiveaward increments to the first value.
 48. The method of claim 46, whichincludes causing the second triggering event to occur if the accumulatedvalue progressive award increments to the second value.
 49. The methodof claim 46, wherein the second triggering event occurs independently ofthe first triggering event.
 50. The method of claim 46, wherein thefirst triggering event occurs prior to the second triggering event. 51.The method of claim 44, enabling each player who contributed to theprogressive award prior to the progressive award incrementing to thesecond value to win the progressive award.
 52. The method of claim 51,wherein the designated player is the player who places the wager on theprimary game that causes the progressive award to increment to the firstvalue.
 53. The method of claim 46, which includes operating the gamingdevice through a data network.
 54. The method of claim 53, wherein thedata network is an internet.
 55. A method of operating a gaming systemincluding a plurality of gaming machines, the method comprising: (a)providing a primary game on each gaming machine, the primary operableupon a wager placed by a player; (b) maintaining a progressive award;(c) determining which player to provide with the progressive award whilethe player is playing one of the primary games of one of the gamingmachines, wherein upon the occurrence of the determination, theprogressive award has a first value; (d) subsequently determining whento provide the progressive award to the determined player regardless ofwhether the determined player is playing one of the primary games of oneof the gaming machines, wherein upon the occurrence of the subsequentdetermination, the progressive award has a different second value; and(e) causing the progressive award to be provided to the determinedplayer or players.
 56. The method of claim 55, wherein the progressiveaward is funded, at least in part, based on the wagers placed on theprimary game.
 57. The method of claim 55, wherein the progressive awardincrements to the first value before incrementing to the second value.58. The method of claim 55, wherein the first determination occursindependently of the second subsequent determination.
 59. The method ofclaim 55, wherein the second value is greater than the first value. 60.The method of claim 55, which includes operating the gaming systemthrough a data network.
 61. The method of claim 60, wherein the datanetwork is an internet.